A Walk to Remember
by BeforeTheStorm15
Summary: "At that moment, Caroline made a prayer. It was in the moment, and highly childlike, but she didn't care. 'Lord, hear my prayer; I vow to never speak to Klaus Mikaelson again.' Little did she, or he know for that matter, that their worlds were heading for an inevitable collision." AU/AH.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So, I recently watched, and fell in love with the beautiful movie 'A Walk to Remember' and seeing as we're on a horrible hiatus between series' at the moment, I decided us Klaroline shippers could use a few stories to keep ourselves going, so…voila! The plotline follows the movie/novel fairly closely, though there are going to be a few changes due to times. (For example, the film was set in the 90s, but this fan fiction is based in the present day.)

Oh, and I cannot stress this enough, please if you HAVE watched the movie or read the novel, **do NOT give away any spoilers in the comments**, PM me personally if you have a question.

Thank you, and I hope you all enjoy the first chapter!

**(KPOV = Klaus' point of view, CPOV for Caroline!)**

* * *

*KPOV*

The abandoned factories had been around long before Klaus was born, yet no builders or commissioners had sentenced the idle area to be demolished either. They simply stood in waiting, side by side in shades of slap dab greys and browns, as if tempting groups of irresponsible teenagers like Klaus to gather as many friends as possible and cause mayhem in all manners of speaking.

Tonight was no exception.

Tapping the heels of his combat boots impatiently against the course rim of his Harley, Klaus gave a low, agitated whistle.

The plan this time had been fairly simple; find a student smart enough to escape into the night, but easy enough to persuade, and lure them out to where Klaus and his friends would be hanging out around the warehouses. Then, the fun would begin. Usually, it was a game of relatively harmless teasing and the odd fist fight, but tonight…tonight was different.

Tonight, a full-blown prank had been schemed amongst the group.

However it was now more than less likely to go down as they hadn't contemplated the victim actually forgetting to turn up.

Klaus kicked roughly at the dirt again. "Look, he's obviously not going to show up. We might as well just head off elsewhere, there's nothing here for us."

The rest of the group loitered around, a few clutching beers, and Klaus watched them quietly with growing frustration.

Damon leaned against the hood of his '97 Chevy, with his beautiful girlfriend Elena wrapped around him like a winter coat. She giggled at something he whispered in her ear, and the two pressed into each other even more tightly. The next car over stood Stefan, Damon's younger, and far more sensible, brother. He raised an eyebrow at his brother's lack of public decency, and shot a half-amused glance at Klaus. Of all the friends in his group, Klaus could easily name the youngest Salvatore brother as the most reliable, and trustworthy friend. The only girl besides Elena was Hayley. Another brunette, Hayley was, however, increasingly more sharp-tongued than Elena and was most likely to bite your head off before admitting her own flaws.

Looking back now, Klaus couldn't name a single reason why he'd fooled around with her during the holidays last month. But he had been bored – so bored he almost resigned himself to completing school work – so he had called her up and wasted a few months away. Klaus had slyly known that Hayley wanted him, so he used her. It really was that simple for him; if you want something, take it, or if you want to kill some time, find someone to entertain your boredom.

It was Hayley who spoke up first. "We could always head back…to the dance?" Her eyes briefly flickered across to Klaus. As if realising, she attempted a shrug followed by a carefree flick of a wrist. "It _is_ our last high school dance after all, might as well ruin someone else's memories if our guy isn't going to show."

The others debated as Hayley finished. She paused and her eyes rested on Klaus once again.

He couldn't believe they were seriously thinking about returning to the senior dance. The whole idea of dancing was ridiculous to Klaus, and it hadn't softened with time. Before any of the others could back the decision, Klaus gave a cruel snicker and stretched his arms back around the Harley to grasp his helmet. Lightly playing with it in his hands, he shot Hayley a deliberately slow smile as he stood to straddle the bike. His grin twisted coldly. "Sorry. I don't dance, love."

Damon pulled away from Elena long enough to smirk. "Ooh, someone struck a chord with the Big Bad Wolf!"

"Why are we still here?" Klaus ignored the nickname, and settled his feet into position on the pedals. "I'm not wasting my night on some pathetic quarterback." He spat, then after a moment's pause, he added. "And anyway, we can prank him much more thoughroughly now that he's missed his appointment to join us."

"Hell, yes!" Damon raised his fist in salute.

Hayley ran a hand through her hair, and sighed in defeat. "Fine, let's get out of here. I can't believe that stupid footballer ruined my night; I'm going to kill him tomorrow."

"Don't let it get you down Hales," Stefan draped an arm across her shoulders. ", the Big Bad will rearrange a little payback for our time lost, won't you, bud?"

Klaus flashed a knowing smirk. "I might do."

"See, what did I tell you!" Stefan shrugged his jacket back on and waved Klaus off over the violent sound of his friend's revving motorbike. "I'll see you all tomorrow-"

The sound of an approaching engine challenged Klaus' Harley, and the startled group all turned in unison to face the intruder.

Elena was the first to see through the murky glass of a dark grey, beat up military jeep. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, and linked her arm through Damon's. "Well, better late than never I suppose."

_That's putting it mildly_, Klaus thought bitterly.

Part of him was further more irritated that he wouldn't have the night alone, yet another part of him was pushing to follow through on the plan, and that gleeful, child-like sense of anticipated thrill always seemed to come through in the end. There was no denying the joy Klaus felt in the midst of toying with others. It was all about the need to control. The exhilarating need to control the things you can't control; actions, thoughts, emotions. Yet Klaus had developed a need, a hungry _thirst_, to control the uncontrollable.

And it was through that need, which came that impulsive, destructive nature that vibrated throughout his body like a symphony.

The quarterback, whose name Klaus couldn't even remember, turning up late was something that irritated him far more than it should've done. But, fortunately for the footballer, the plan was not reliant on a certain time, so little did he know but he was about to make their wasted moments worth it.

Damon was the first to acknowledge the newcomer.

"Welcome to the party!" He cried, and offered a hand to the boy. His wide-set shoulders, tall frame, and short cropped hair, all showed signs of a typical footballer, and Klaus had no doubt that he was their guy. He'd seen him around before, having spent four years with other students, but he'd never paid attention to those unworthy of his time. Klaus hung back for a few more moments, surveying the other boy's movement. _Good balance, holds his height well and…left handed,_ He concluded in a few, short seconds.

At peace with knowing more than the others, he finally swung his legs over the Harley and joined the others in casual conversation.

"So, Matt," Hayley smiled seductively, her tone lowering huskily as it did with any member of the opposite sex that showed her even the slightest bit of attention. "Are you ready for the initiation?"

The quarterback, Matt, returned the smile, but hesitantly. "Uh, sure."

_Oh, of course you are,_ Klaus thought. He eyed the other boy in anticipation and smirked. _Who wouldn't want to be in my group?_

Damon, ever the eager participant, looped his arm around Matt's shoulders and gave the footballer a bashful grin. "Come along and find out, buddy boy."

A moment later and Damon led the rest of the group around a few broken down buildings until they reached a large, rectangular swimming pool accompanied by a fairly high diving board. Recently closed, the outdoors area had been selected for the prank for two reasons. It was away from preening eyes, and the group knew the area well in case a quick escape was needed. It really was perfect prank material.

He took the time to linger back and walk beside Matt. Whilst Damon might be leading the group physically, he was by no means the leader and Klaus to make sure Matt knew who was.

"Listen, _Matt_," He kept his voice low; but not quite threatening, yet. ", next time I tell you to arrive on time, you arrive on time." He paused for effect, and watched in delight as Matt's Adam apple bobbed nervously. Looking away from the other boy's hard stare, Matt rubbed at his jeans. "Do you understand?"

Matt swallowed again. "Yeah, I understand."

"Excellent."

"So," Matt exhaled loudly. ", what is it that I have to do then?"

As soon as the footballer spoke, Damon spun around on the spot, and gestured with open arms at the pool. "Are you ready to fly?"

Elena and Hayley claimed the white bench parallel to the pool, waiting for the action to commence.

Rolling his eyes, Stefan punched his brother's shoulder with a grin. "Stop being so dramatic, you're going to scare the poor boy away!"

"Both of you shut up." Haley sighed. She threw Klaus a sly look. "I'm getting bored."

Klaus raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Instead, he balanced his Harley next to a lamppost and tossed his jacket onto the seat. He paused to look up at the diving board. It was roughly at least 10 meters in the air, and had rusted slightly since its closure, but the lure of the fall was too great for Klaus.

_Well, that's all Matt needs to think, anyway._ He thought to himself.

He turned to lock eyes with the quarterback. "So, are you ready to join the group…or not?"

Matt shuffled his feet, and turned to look up at the board. His eyes narrowed and his feet stopped shuffling once he realised the plan. He shot a look at Klaus. "Wait, are you going to…?"

"Jump?" Klaus finished. "Oh yes, _we_ are. I mean, you're not going to bail out on me, are you?"

Five pairs of eyes turned to scrutinise the footballer.

Flicking his gaze from Klaus, Damon and Stefan, then the two girls, Matt cleared his throat. "Totally!" He attempted an energetic head bop that resulted in a few sniggers, but Matt was only focused on the diving board now. He mirrored the other boy's actions and shrugged off his own jacket revealing a white V-neck that got a few wolf-whistles from the girls.

Damon pulled Elena into his arms with an amused laugh. "Looks like the footballer's ready to fly, baby!" He cried. "All you've got to do is jump, and you're one of us."

Klaus could've sucker punched Damon in a heartbeat, but for once he allowed his friend to relish in the drama. It wasn't as if they were running on a schedule, but Klaus was ready for some action at last.

He gestured to Matt. "Let's go."

Cheered on by the others, Klaus led Matt up the diving board until they reached the highest level overlooking the pool.

When they reached the edge, Klaus rubbed his hands in apprehension.

Below, Damon cupped his hands around his mouth. "On ten!" He called out in glee.

Klaus gritted his teeth.

Laughter erupted, and Elena joined in. "Ten!"

Matt balled his hands into fists.

"Nine, "

", eight,"

", seven!"

Hayley sung out.

"Six,"

", five,"

", four!"

Matt furrowed his eyebrows. "This is definitely safe, right?"

"Three!"

Stefan joined in.

"Two!"

Klaus felt his eyes close. "Let's find out."

"One…JUMP!"

In unison, both boys quickly hurtled to the edge of the board…

…but only one fell.

Klaus pulled back at the very last moment, held onto the edge, and watched with his usual smirk as another victim fell at the hands of his group. He knew he needed to get down as soon as possible so that when Matt surfaced; the group were nowhere to be found. But he needed to see the look on the boy's face; the anger at the deception, the bitterness at being tricked by so called friends.

So when Matt did not break through the water, Klaus began to frown.

He searched the pool carefully, but the waves and bubbles from the fall prevented him from seeing clearly. He waited another few moments, and was about to climb back down the ladder when he saw the footballer return to the surface of the pool, the bubbles slowly dispersing around the edge.

The rest of the group let out a cheer, and Klaus waited once again.

Suddenly, Elena let out a scream that cut into the night like a bloody knife.

Klaus immediately realised that Matt wasn't moving in the water. He quickly called down to the others. "Someone get him out of the water. NOW!"

Without looking back, Klaus clambered down the ladder with recklessly inconsistent hand placement, and propelled himself into the pool next to a now-floating Matt. Klaus was too focused on the footballer to be annoyed at the lack of action from the others. He swam towards Matt with fast strokes and pulled the other boy's head up, and out of the water, before dragging him to the edge; careful to keep his face above water.

Klaus glared at the group, who were simply watching with wide eyes. Only Elena look vaguely terrified at the most.

"Help me get him out, quickly!" He coughed.

Seemingly unfrozen, Stefan stepped forwards and helped Klaus drag Matt, then himself, onto the concrete before kneeling down beside the unconscious boy.

"There's a pulse, but it's-"

Just when things couldn't get any worse, a siren pierced the night, sending further waves of panic around the group.

"Shit!" Damon cried, and dropped his beer.

Elena let out a small whimper, and clung to the elder Salvatore.

Turning to Klaus, Damon nudged him once, hard. "C'mon, leave him, and let's get the hell out of here!"

Without looking for another prompt, Haley and Elena trailed after Damon and ran back to their cars with matching fear in their eyes.

"Klaus, buddy, we need to leave…now!"

With a shake of his head, Klaus shoved Stefan away from the unconscious Matt. "No," He hissed back. ", I'll make sure he wakes, you get the hell out of here, go!"

"But-"

"Stefan, go!"

With one last apologetic look, Stefan finally, reluctantly, ran back around the pool and climbed into his car.

Things were almost completely out of Klaus' control now, and every fibre within his bones was screaming at him to run. But he couldn't. Not before he knew Matt was…alive. Muttering under his breathe, Klaus pulled at the footballer's soaked shirt until his wrist was visible, and felt for a pulse. Although Stefan had found one, Klaus had to be certain before he left.

The sirens were growing louder.

_Shit, shit, shit, _Klaus hissed inwardly as his finger pressed firmly into Matt's arm. _Come on-yes!_

A strong, steady pulse vibrated into Klaus' fingertips, and when the other boy began to stir not seconds later, Klaus knew it was finally time to bail.

The sirens were so close, they rung loudly, and painfully, into the night. Klaus noted that the others were gone, and was about to jump onto his bike and drive away when a police car rounded the corner of the nearest building. Inside, a cop pointed out the two boys to his partner, who swung the car around by the closed pool. Although Klaus was fairly certain they had him surrounded, he was damned if he was going to sit here and let them arrest him.

_On what charges, anyway?_ Klaus thought angrily. _And who the hell called the police?_

He left Matt by the pool, and quickly headed into the maze of buildings. He ran, and ran until he thought his lungs would concave or explode into tiny particles of blood and muscle. Only then, did he allow himself a moment to look over his shoulder. Nothing was directly behind him, but Klaus knew better than to assume safety. As the police were slower than he was, they were also by no means inadequate.

"HALT!"

_Oh, shit._

Klaus looked back around and found himself face to face with one of the cops. He was in his late-40s with cropped, dark hair and the expression on his face was far from friendly. Unsure of whether to run, or whether to wait for another opportunity, Klaus waited for the officer to make his move before he did.

"Don't move, Klaus Mikaelson," The officer commanded. ", if you come with me now, it may limit your sentence. However, if you run, I promise you that your sentence will be much greater."

Taken by a rare account of surprise, Klaus froze. _How the hell does this guy know my name?_

"If you're going to arrest me, where are my Miranda rights?"

"We're not arresting you, son." The police officer took a step forwards, closer. "But you will have to answer to your school, and the owner of the swimming pool."

Klaus grinded his teeth. _Great, _He thought. ,_ that's just…great._

* * *

"I take it you weren't aware that although that swimming pool was closed, the security alarms still work, Mr Mikaelson?"

"Of course, sir," Klaus smirked.

"Then why were you there on Saturday night?"

Klaus was already bored of the whole affair, and the meeting had barely lasted a minute. After the police caught him trespassing two nights ago, they contacted the owner of the swimming pool as well as the principal at Mystic Falls High School to arrange a suitable punishment for him.

"Look, I told you," Hooking his right foot under his left, Klaus met the principal's stony gaze and continued. ", I got bored at the dance and just went out for a ride. I drove around the warehouses for a little while, and then I heard the splash. So…I went to check it out, and that's where I found...you know…"

Klaus feigned a puzzled expression.

"Matt Donavan?" The principal finished.

"Exactly, that's the one."

Klaus kept his cool as the older man stared him down. "And he was just, floating in the water already?"

"Yeah, I told you; I heard a splash, so I went to see what it was, and then found him in the pool. I checked to see if he was alive, and then I heard the siren."

"So you fled?" The principal frowned. "Why would you run?"

Klaus shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know." He lied. "I was kind of freaked out anyway; I didn't want to get into any more trouble."

"Well, tough luck for you, you're in trouble, boy." The principle held up a finger for each action. "One, you were trespassing in the warehouses. Two, you were trespassing in the pool. And three, the police found alcohol on the premises. Do you deny that belonged to you?"

_Damon, you idiot. _Klaus resisted the urge to throw something.

"No." He simply replied.

The principal nodded once. "Very well, then. I have spoken to the owners of both the buildings, and the swimming pool, and they have agreed for me to give you an appropriate punishment that I think is fitting. However, should you fail to follow through on these, further actions will be taken, is that understood?"

"It is."

"Then your punishments are as followed,"

Klaus inhaled sharply, awaiting the man to sentence him to a most likely boring fate of cleaning duties.

"Punishment number one, you shall help out our janitorial staff after school for a minimum of three school months, and assist them in their duties."

_As expected. _Klaus nodded.

", as punishment number two, you will tutor disadvantaged students at our sister school on Saturday mornings."

Klaus coughed in surprise.

"Do you have a problem with that, Mr Mikaelson?"

Clearing his throat, Klaus regained his. "No…sir."

"Good." The principal frowned again but continued. "And finally, you will assist, and perform in the drama club's final event of the term."

"The Spring play?!"

"Yes," The other man sighed irritably. ", the Spring play. Will that be a problem?"

Considering protesting for another moment, Klaus gave up and decided to take the easy way out.

"_No_, sir." He repeated.

"Excellent. I do believe we're done here."

* * *

The first thing Klaus did as he strolled down the hallway was to locate his group. He spotted them loitering around near the benches outside the school, and strode towards them with anger.

"Ah!" Damon was the first to see him. "The prodigy Wolf returns!"

Well, this wolf was seriously pissed.

A few moments later, and Klaus had shoved Damon up against the nearest wall; his fingers digging into his neck. "_That_ is for leaving your stupid beer bottle at the pool." He swung the choking boy around and sent him sprawling onto the grass beside the others. ", and _that_ is for standing around like an impotent imbecilic whilst Matt almost drowned."

Klaus shook his head in disbelief as Elena let out a whimper and kneeled to help Damon stand again. He shrugged her off, his ego damaged, but refrained from Klaus' personal space.

The only one showing any remorse was the younger Salvatore brother.

"Stefan," Klaus began, and the other boy looked up slowly. ", I appreciated your offer to help though, thank you, mate."

He grinned bashfully. "No problem."

The group remained silent for a few moments, until Damon threw Klaus a casual look. "So, what did good old Mr Richards set you in reward?"

Klaus shrugged. "Just some after-school activities like the usual; cleaning up, helping out with clubs."

A delicate cough came from Elena's direction. "You didn't…turn us in too then?"

"No, what would've been the point?"

Damon chuckled. "That was really good of you, buddy."

"Leave it." Klaus gritted his teeth.

A few moments passed in silence until Hayley let out a crude scoff. "Look at the fair and chaste Caroline Forbes, 5 o'clock. Someone's been taking fashion advice from their grandma!"

Elena gave a hushed giggle, and the two girls shared a look as Damon sniggered. Turning to see what the fuss was about, Klaus threw a bored look across the school courtyard and noticed the blonde who had captured the attention of his group. Dressed in probably the dullest shade of grey known to mankind, Caroline Forbes looked like something straight out of a 50s magazine for housewives. Her dress was so loose-fitted; it wallowed down to her ankles where the eyes met child-like black plimsolls, topping off the wonderful dress. Her hair was tied back in a low-swung ponytail, and retro glasses sat perched on the top of her nose.

Klaus didn't know much about fashion, but boy was Caroline turning heads as she always did.

As she passed them on the stairs, Haley cleared her throat rather pointedly. "Nice dress." She remarked to the quiet blonde.

Caroline simply smiled back. "Thank you." She murmured, barely audible.

Elena and Haley dissolved into giggles as soon as Caroline was out of earshot. Even Damon rolled his eyes, and mimicked, "_Thank you_." in a high-pitched voice.

"I heard that Matt isn't talking about what happened."

Stefan's words resorted in silence amongst the group again, but Klaus was glad. He raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

The younger Salvatore nodded. "Yeah." He leaned against the wall. "I asked Mr Tanner during cross-country where Matt was, and he said that he was involved in an accident a few nights back, but no one knew for sure what had actually happened as he wasn't talking. Seems like he either doesn't want to talk, or doesn't remember."

Klaus thought for a moment. He highly doubted that Matt had forgotten the events of Saturday night, so why was he protecting the others?

Contemplating out loud, Stefan continued. "Perhaps he wants to try and blackmail us?"

Klaus hid his grin. _Now that, I'd like to see. _

The rest of the day rolled on as it always did, with an unbearably slow speed full off vacant expressions. By the time the last bell rang, Klaus was tempted to bail on his first day of what seemed like community service, but he knew better than to push his luck so soon. With a heavy sigh, he parted from the group and headed off alone.

* * *

_*CPOV*_

Doing her best not to get lost in the swarm of student, Caroline fought her way through the crowd until she reached the library.

Finally, she relaxed.

All day she had been waiting for the bell, and when it had, she scooted out of English as quickly as possible. Caroline hadn't wasted any moment in rushing off to her usual home amongst the crowd of make-up clad girls and ego-driven males. _Half a year_, she reminded herself, _just half a year left till I'm out of here._

The library welcomed her home like a lost kitten; it's array of colours and worlds calling out to her in rows and rows of novels. The layout was simple enough; the ground floor consisted of the non-fiction texts where most students found themselves once or twice a year, but the second floor…the second floor was another wonder entirely. Fantasy, action, adventure were just a few of the genres splashed across the second floor, and classics from _Pride and prejudice_ to the latest Stephen King thriller beckoned Caroline to draw them all into her arms like new-borns.

Now this was a place she loved.

"You're not here to pick up _another_ book, Caroline?"

Caroline jumped slightly, the voice pulling her back into the present. There were two librarians, both whom Caroline liked a great deal, and both loved and encouraged her desire to read. Today, the younger of the two, Mr Lockwood, stood behind the large, curved desk behind. In his mid-30s, Mr Lockwood – or Tyler, as he let only the book-loving blonde call him – was greatly talked amongst the female students, scoring points with his handsome looks, and beautiful smile.

To Caroline, he was a friend, and although she easily admitted he didn't lack decent genetics, she was certain she could never picture him in _that_ way.

"No, Mr Lockwood" She returned his smile pleasantly. ", I think I'll just sit and read for a bit, if that's okay with you?"

He waved a carefree hand. "Of course not, it's not like we're ever in a dangerous shortage of space. Oh, and remember; it's Tyler, to you." His smile widened as he noticed the book in her hands. "I see you took my recommendation advice, there. How do you like it so far?"

Caroline followed his gaze down to the book. Tilted '_Daughter of Smoke and Bone'_, the librarian had offered it to her a few days ago with words of encouragement. "It's enjoyable." She admitted. "The imagery through the writing is absolutely incredible, just like you said."

"What did I tell you?!" He cried happily. Humming under his breathe, Tyler sifted through papers on the desk before turning his attention back to the blonde. He sighed, and added. "I just remembered. I have to be home earlier today for Vicki's doctor's appointment, so I'm afraid I'll have to kick you out in about an hour, my apologies."

"Oh, I can't believe it, I completely forgot!" Caroline smiled in apology. "How is Vicki doing?"

Tyler grinned back bashfully, and ran a hand through his dark hair. "She's great, wonderful even! Five months pregnant, and I still can't quite believe we're having a child!"

"Well, I hope you do soon," Caroline laughed quietly. ", you'll make a wonderful father."

"Thank you, sweetie, you're too kind to an old librarian."

The blonde scoffed. "You're not old!"

"Like I said before," Tyler shook his head in good humour. ", too kind. Anyway, you'll have to excuse me." The older man frowned. "This old librarian has work to do. Enjoy the book, dear."

A few minutes later, and Caroline found herself comfortably seated in one of the forest green cushion seats in the corner. Before she began reading, she tugged at her ponytail until her hair settled over her shoulders. Relaxed, at last, the blonde took the worn bookmark out of the last chapter she'd finished, and eased back into the story. By the time she had finished the page, she was lost in a world of renegade angels, bloody wars, and consuming fires that spread across whole worlds like dust…

"_Where the bloody hell is the fantasy section?"_

...until a voice surfaced.

Caroline jumped, letting out a small yelp.

The angry whisper that had broken her concentration came from a few feet away. The blonde clutched her book to her chest, and peered around the corner to see the tall frame of a boy running his hands along the spines of a row of books. Agitated, he muttered under his breathe and shook his tight curls in annoyance. Caroline tilted her head to get a better look. However, at that moment the student turned his head a fraction to the right, and his eyes met hers.

Caroline had seen him before many times, so she recognised him instantly. The infamous Klaus Mikaelson, who Bonnie told her, had recently been caught hanging around the abandoned warehouses at Senior Prom. She'd passed him today, on the way into school as well. His eyes were narrowed; head subtly angled to stare back at the silent blonde. Caroline swallowed anxiously. The one thing that stood out for her was the boy's expression. Cold and calculated, it seemed like a canvas painted only to show certain aspects, choosing how many truths to express and how many lies to contain behind the smirk. There was something else, something dark, that Caroline couldn't quite put her finger on.

But even his expression couldn't consume the boy's handsome face. Because although Klaus' his eyes were dark and lacking emotion, they showed certain intelligence too. Like tightly coiled springs, his curls shaped the height of his cheekbones, and jawline, and his dimples added to softening his expression with a touch of old-fashioned charm. Caroline found herself slightly flushed as he continued to stare in her direction.

It seemed like minutes passed, until Caroline broke the stare. She quickly tilted her head forwards, carefully allowing stands of blonde curls to cover her face. But she wanted to look up. Oh, she really wanted to look up again. Why had been looking in the first place? She wondered, and swallowed nervously. Was he _still_ looking at her?

_Of course not._ Caroline scolded herself quickly. _He was probably just staring at you because you squealed like a piglet!_

She found the line from the book she had stopped reading mid-sentence and traced the words with shaking hands. Resisting the urge to pray, Caroline buried her head into the book once again. But her thoughts kept drifting between fallen angels and a certain fellow student standing a few feet away. Not that she could see Klaus; her head was still tilted down. Why was it affecting her so much anyway? She pondered on that thought for a few moments. Perhaps it felt like an invasion of privacy. This spot, in a way, was Caroline's. The blonde had been sitting here for four years without a single distraction with the exception of the janitor on occasion. So why on earth was Klaus Mikaelson in the library? Perhaps-

"Excuse me-"

"_Jesus Christ!"_

This time, Caroline jumped so violently, she slid off the cushion and landed on the floor with a thud. She hit the ground painfully, her hands landing sharply on the floor beside her. The blonde winced inwardly, and bit her lip. Embarrassment crept into her, filling up inside ever little cavern possible as her cheeks began to heat visibly. Holding a shaking hand up to her forehead, Caroline immediately, and silently, apologised for blaspheming as the owner of the voice cleared his throat. She reluctantly lifted her gaze to meet his.

The dark-haired boy was staring at her again; his dark eyes now half-amused. "I'm sorry for startling you."

Offering Caroline a hand, she murmured a thank you and took it slowly in her own, hiding in her hair again as she climbed to her feet.

"I came to ask you if you knew where the sci-fi section is?" He gestured to her discarded book with a smirk. "You seem to be an avid reader by the looks of it."

"Of course!" She blurted out in reply.

A few seconds passed.

He raised an eyebrow. "…so?"

Caroline almost fled the library at that moment. _Forgive me, Father, for I have lost the ability to speak_.

"Y-Yes, sorry!" She shook her head as if attempting to shake the words back into her mind. "Uh…turn around and it's the fifth row on your left."

The corners of his lips twitched. "Thank you, Caroline."

"It's not a problem. Really. No problem, at all!"

As Klaus turned away, Caroline resisted the urge to throw herself over the banister. Or at least to commit herself to a lifetime of silence, never to speak an embarrassing line again. As soon as he disappeared, she lunged for her book, threw her satchel bag over her shoulder, and ran for the exit like a lifeline.

At that moment, Caroline made a prayer. It was in the moment, and highly childlike, but she didn't care.

_Lord, hear my prayer; I vow to never speak to Klaus Mikaelson again. _

Little did she, or he know for that matter, that their worlds heading for an inevitable collision.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments! (:**

**Just a few things to add; Caroline IS religious, and if you've watched the film/read the novel you'll know that the main girl is extremely religious, so although I have included elements of religion, there are changes as well. Like I said before, some things will be different but the main storyline will stay the same.**

**Oh, and this chapter was a little test in a way, writing from both Klaus and Caroline's point of view, but it is more likely that I will write mainly from Klaus' in the future, and for those of you who have seen the movie/read the book, you'll know why!**

**Also, if you do have any questions or worries then PM me, or send me a message on tumblr;**

**Finally, I cannot promise regular updates, but I will as often as I can, and that's a promise…I think! ;)**

**Hint for next chapter; who do you think the police officer was...?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to all those who followed/reviewed the first chapter, I am extremely grateful to all the feedback! (:**

**And also; a HUGE special thanks to 'approvesomuch' on tumblr for making this absolutely **_**stunning**_** fanfiction cover, I was incredibly over the moon when I saw it and thank you so much! **

**I hope you enjoy the second chapter, and a few new characters are added. x**

* * *

The following Sunday, Klaus reluctantly threw back his sheets and stumbled into respectable black trousers, a white dress shirt and ebony tie. He rubbed at his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. Perhaps being out all night wasn't the best thing to do when you had to attend a regular church session in the morning. As despite it being the 21st century, Mystic Falls was still widely known for its religious roots. It was by no means old-fashioned, or subjective - in fact it was open to many modern beliefs - but the religious element was still a huge part of many of the townsfolk's lives.

So no matter what excuse Klaus attempted, his mother still dragged his grumbling ass out of the door every Sunday.

"Klaus," She called from the kitchen. ", we're leaving in twenty minutes so come and get something to eat before we go, please."

"Coming."

He rolled his shoulders back, and resisted the urge to shrug on his motorcycle jacket. Ignoring it, Klaus closed the door firmly behind him and traipsed into the kitchen. He found his mother at the sink, scrubbing hard at dishes that were most likely already clean. Esther was like that. She wanted everything to be perfectly neat and organised. In that sense, Klaus and his mother were as unalike from each other as humanely possible. Yet they both shared a sense of loyalty. An unspoken, but visible bond of family. And it was through that bond that Klaus was fairly certain was the reason he hadn't been kicked out of the house yet, despite all his late night activities and juvenile crimes.

He reached for an apple on the kitchen counter. "Good morning, mother."

_Nothing_.

Klaus felt his eyes narrow as the silence continued. He took a seat and watched as Esther paused by the sink, her hands tightly gripping the edge. After another minute rolled on, the silence became deafening. The only noise in the room came in the form of the kitchen clock, and the rhythmic ticking added to Klaus' frustration.

"What's-

Ester spun around. "Klaus," She looked at him carefully. "I think I should call your father."

"_No_."

He contemplated leaving the room for a moment. "No, I do not, under any circumstance, wish to speak to him. That's not going to happen." He looked Esther in stony silence. _Why did she have to bring him up?_ He wondered in anger. His mother knew the relationship between her ex-husband and son was tense, but Klaus had never elaborated on the reasons behind it. When they divorced three years ago, Esther agreed to leave the family home and Klaus went with her willingly. His elder brother Elijah was already heading away to do his first year at Harvard Law, so the arrangement had yet to affect him. However his younger sister Rebekah had been distraught. Despite her equally rocky relationship with her father, and tight bond with Klaus, she refused to leave her friends, and school life behind. So she had decided to stay in Massachusetts with Mikael.

Klaus hadn't spoken with either of his siblings since the move. He and Rebekah had always been close growing up. Whenever their parents were fighting, they would keep each other company and talk as loudly as they could to overcome the screams and shouts from below. They would play rock music through the stereo, and talk about their day; distracting each other from the rows. So when his younger sister announced she wasn't moving, Klaus was more than a little grievant. The pair of them had argued and pleaded until their voices bled into nothing but silence. He was hurt, angry, and most of all, dismayed that they would be apart. And to make it worse, it was through Rebekah's own choice.

At first, it had been difficult without her around. But Klaus had managed to temporarily fill the void with his friends, and also rebuilding his relationship with Esther again. They had been relatively close, but Mikael had always managed to slip his youngest son into arguments; focusing on Esther as the reason for his wayward behaviour. But there was still something missing from Rebekah's absence, and Klaus couldn't bring himself to think of her very often.

"I don't know why the pair of you fell out over the divorce, Klaus, but this has to stop. What happened between Mikael and I should not concern your relationship with him." She gave a small sigh and looked away. "Besides, I think having a father figure will be good for you again. With all what's been going on lately…"

Klaus knew she was referring to the trespassing.

"I'm not seeing him, and that's final." He bit into the apple, hard.

"Well, then." Esther shook her head, and a few strands of dark blonde hair escaped from the loose tie. "If you show me signs that you're doing well at school again, and that means working on improving your attendance record too, then I promise not to contact your father until you wish to do so." She sighed again, her expression wary. "Do we have a deal?"

Klaus hid his smile behind the fruit. "We do."

After all, there was no way that he ever planned on visiting his father, so as long as he kept up in school; his mother would back off. It was a small sacrifice to pay, as Klaus would have less time with his group. But after he completed his janitorial service, and the other punishments set, he would be left alone once again, and free to spend time as he wished.

Somewhat satisfied, Klaus watched his mother relax again. She set the cluster of dishes to one side, and brushed her damp hands onto a tea towel before turning around. She gave Klaus a hopeful smile, and reached a hand back to tug her hair out of the hair tie. It reached her shoulders, and she smiled again. "Ready to go, son?"

* * *

The church in Mystic Falls had been dated back to its founding origin in early Elizabethan times. It was the only remaining church from before the 1800s back when Mystic Falls was called Fell's Church. The Fells were the founding family all the way back to the early 1400s until 1860. Little was known about the events leading up to it, but historical records stated that Thomas and Honoria Fell fled with their children in the 1800s, leaving behind the town that had been in their generation for hundreds of years. The sheriff at the time, and close friend of Thomas', William Forbes, gradually rebuilt the town with his family; renaming it Mystic Falls in hope of a new beginning. 150 years later, and the Forbes family were still an important part of the town.

Reverend William – Bill to those who knew him – Forbes was, in a whole, a good man. He strayed from teaching just about God in the hope that ignorance could be perished. He encouraged equality, and freedom of speech, and was never quick to judge those who had wronged. Two years back, his wife, Elizabeth Forbes, had passed away in her sleep on a Saturday evening. Despite everyone assuming church was cancelled for the following morning, the church doors opened at 8am sharp and a service was held for anyone who wished to go. Although he wasn't exactly the son of a preacher, Klaus remembered that service in detail. He had watched quietly from the pews as William Forbes stood at the front of the church and spoke to the gatherers.

"_They that love beyond the world cannot be separated by it. Death cannot kill what never dies." _The reverend had begun by saying. His voice was soft, but clear; sad, but sharing. "As many of you know, last night my beloved wife passed on from this life. I would like for this service to be in memory of her beauty, her inspirational strength, and her soul. My daughter, Caroline, decided to pray in solitude today, so if I may ask you all to join us in prayer together."

Klaus had never remembered seeing so much strength in one person. The people in the church sung hymns, wept openly, and prayed together in unison, and the reverend welcomed their emotions with tears of his own. He asked people to come to the front and share stories of their loved ones, or anything they wanted to say about his wife. And they did. Women and men shared funny tales of disasters, heartfelt stories of last goodbyes, and simple thoughts and views of life, love, and death.

It was also in that moment that Klaus realised so much of who you are can be determined by misfortune. Or sadness, or sorrow, or grief. Anything that gave you the opportunity to seek revenge, or spread hatred across the world because something didn't occur the way you wanted it to. Instead, like Bill Forbes, you can turn that hatred into light.

It was a shame that Klaus couldn't follow his own beliefs. Instead, he chose a life of petty crime and general mishap in the knowledge that people's emotions and feelings was something he _could_ control. Something he could stage or portray, bit by bit. Death, he couldn't. Love, he couldn't. But he could control the people around him like puppets on a string. And as long as he didn't grow too close to anyone, nothing would ever make him thirst for revenge with hatred burning through his veins like wildfire.

_Because that's what love, and hope, does to you_. Klaus sat in the church, lost in thought as he waited for the ceremony to begin. _It consumes you like a flame and burns and destroys any sanity you have left. It makes you act like a man possessed, and you can't control anything when you're captivated by someone else. It's insanity, and entirely unnecessary to feel. _

He carefully looked at his mother next to him and wondered if she felt the same after the divorce. He'd watched his parents scream and hate each other for years, and it had affected him greatly. It was possibly the origin for all his hatred against emotion, and one he didn't take to kindly. If only he could've controlled their emotions back then.

Shaking the thought from his mind, Klaus looked around. Roughly 15 rows of wooden pews led up to a large alter towards the front of the church. The Norfolk-styled arches had been painted white, and enhanced the height of the building beautifully. Just like every time before, his eyes were drawn to the stained glass windows. At every 5th pew, a detailed stained glass window was arrayed across the gap. The colours were captivating; blues, greens, reds all swirled together to make a story. The one closest to Klaus and Esther was of a waterfall. The contrasting of the dark blue hills and paler blue tumbling water captured the mystical feel of the window, and Klaus felt himself itching to trace it with his fingertips. Art was one of his few passions, and one he held great admiration for. There were stained glass images of trees, mountains, and fires, and Klaus particularly liked one window of an eagle. However Klaus admitted to having a personal favourite as well.

It was The Wolf.

The name 'wolf' originated from the Old English word '_wulf'_ which had an inner meaning for 'warrior'. Wolves, and warriors, are apex predators. They are always at the top of their chain, and always at the highest point possible to survey the other members in their pack. That was why Damon always called him Wolf, or The Big Bad Wolf if he was willing to push his luck further. Even Esther had admitted to the similarities when Damon came round for a lift one evening. _"But he's also loyal, like a wolf is to his family."_ She had added, and that got a smirk.

The wolf in the window was howling. Burnt orange, the glass behind the animal had traces of yellows and crimsons dashed across the background and inside a rim of black, the wolf stood tall, and proud; head tilted back to howl at an unseen object. Klaus liked to think it was howling at God, howling at the strange man in the sky that nobody else could see. He also wasn't a fan of religion itself, but Klaus wasn't opposed to admitting the beauty within the building.

"Welcome."

As soon as the reverend spoke, all was still in the church. He wasn't exceptionally tall – maybe 5, 7 or 5, 8 – and had cropped, dark hair and a kind smile. He wore a dark grey suit and navy tie, and addressed the church with his arms spread wide in front. "I hope you all had a safe journey."

A few murmurs replied, but Klaus was not one of them.

"I would like to begin this morning, by saying thank you to the Lord. Last Saturday evening, he saved a life. The young footballer, Matt Donavan, was found injured by a fellow student. I would like to inform you that he is said to be making an excellent recovery as we speak. I send my gratitude and my thanks to the Lord, for he takes care of all his children."

Bill paused. He scanned the seats, and his eyes lingered a moment on Klaus. "May we also pray for the others who were possibly involved, that they may also find the path of righteousness. For although that road can be a struggle, the good Lord knows and understands this."

Klaus grit his teeth.

"I would now like to ask the choir if they may step forwards and sing in prayer." Bill took a step away from the stand. "I have also asked them to select a song appropriate for Matt's recovery, and in theme of appreciating life and God's watchful eye." He gestured for the choir to stand, and smiled as the piano struck up a melody. Usually, it was customary to read from the bible or sing hymns, but the reverend allowed Christian artists as well, another reason his status was well respected amongst all ages.

The choir began to sing;

_Seven days old in the ICU tonight._

_Little baby boy they don't want to have to say goodbye._

_Your mother is on the phone, Father is in the hall._

_Praying God save his life._

Klaus closed his eyes just in time for the chorus to begin.

_He sees you, He's near you;_

_He knows your face, He knows your pain._

_He sees you and He loves you;_

_He knows your name, He knows your name._

He felt his eyes open again in curiosity when only one voice continued.

_Maybe you're alone;_

_In the corner of an empty house._

_Or maybe you're the one;_

_No one notices in the crowd. _

It was Caroline. The quiet girl he had spoken to, and made jump, a few days ago at the library. The long-sleeved white shirt, and grey skirt was much more tightly-fitted than her usual wear, and Klaus noticed slyly that the blonde was hiding more than books beneath her clothes. He quickly tore his eyes away from her curves, and looked up. Her blue eyes were closed. Lost in the song, she sang sweetly and softly as the music continued alongside her. Klaus began to find the song melodic and bearable at the least, but watching Caroline put a little bit of herself into the music, it suddenly became alluring.

As she sang the final few lines, the blonde reopened her eyes and looked across at a few rows. Her eyes showed an image of such believable happiness that Klaus contemplated selling his soul to the Lord in the hope of feeling like that for just one moment. The song finished a few seconds later, and as if able to move again, Klaus mentally shook some sense into himself_. _What the hell had happened to hating emotion? _Just don't listen to her sing again_. He concluded, carefully. _Or else you'll literally be preaching to the choir._

She was rather compelling though, Klaus reflected. He'd never even spoken to the girl before last week, but he wasn't completely against the idea to do so again. And why? All because she wore ill-fitting clothes, squealed like a new-born child, and spent all her free time hanging out in the school library. Maybe he was right after all; this girl sounded like a real charm.

Esther rested a gentle hand on her son's shoulder. "It's time to go, Klaus."

Behind her, Klaus saw Stefan and Hayley lingering a few rows back; waiting. Their parents were also fairly religious, but Damon and Elena had most likely excused themselves and hopped into one of the other's beds. He nodded to the pair, and turned back to his mother. "You go; I'll catch a ride back with Stefan later." Usually, he would be the one giving them a lift back, but Esther had taken and locked his motorcycle away for a couple of weeks until his school record cleared.

She frowned. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Well then," She attempted a carefree smile, but Klaus knew she was worried. "I'll see you back home later?" Esther posed it as a statement, not a question.

Klaus nodded. "Yeah. Not too late, I promise."

He waited until Esther had left the church with Stefan's mother, the pair talking quietly with their heads bowed together. Then, he made his way over to his two friends, somewhat annoyed by the lack of control over his actions. He'd agreed to complete the set punishments, but Esther had no right to baby him.

Stefan noticed his stony expression, and nudged the other boy with a grin. "Enjoy the service?"

"Why, it was an _absolute_ pleasure," Klaus muttered, still bitter. "I was filled with this wonderful light, right here; in my heart." He continued snidely, and Stefan gave a short chuckle. "And the choir was full of such beauty and wonder that I had to resist the urge to jump up, run up to the stage, and sing the song of the Lord for the whole world to hear." He gave a heavy sigh, the bitterness fading. "It was quite something, mate."

"If you wanted to join the choir, Mr Mikaelson, all you had to do was ask."

_Oh, shit._

Klaus was certain who it was standing behind him before he turned around.

The reverend didn't look angry though, more vaguely curious at the most. He simply looked at him with interest. "Though I take it from the lack of joy on your face, you have decided to pursue another path in the name of the Lord?" He smiled warmly when Klaus didn't reply. "It is not our place to judge others, child. Remember that."

As the reverend walked off to speak to another man, Stefan let out another laugh at the other boy's frozen expression. "He got you good, buddy." He grinned teasingly. "For a second there, I thought you were going to be forced to sing _kumbaya_ in front of the entire church next week!"

With a smirk, Hayley joined in. "Now that I'd like to see."

Klaus decided to ignore their banter. After all, he had been in the wrong that time. He watched as the reverend continued to speak to the other man. Dressed in a dark grey suit, he and the reverend seemed fairly close as they spoke and smiled together. They shared a laugh, and suddenly, Klaus recognised where he knew the man from. Like a trigger, his memory cleared. It was from the night he got caught by the police, and the man speaking with Bill was the same man who had taken him back home to Esther. He hadn't recognised him at first out of uniform.

"Who is that?" He asked Stefan and Hayley.

Before a moment could pass, Stefan shot a confused look at Klaus. "Did I not tell you?" When Klaus frowned, he continued. "That's Steven. He's a new cop on the police force, moved in across the street from us a few days ago. You know how my mother is; she practically jumped at him to introduce herself the minute the moving van pulled up. Turns out he's an old friend of the reverend's late wife."

"He was on the force with her?" Hayley asked.

Stefan shrugged. "I don't know. He is a cop though; they tend to like knowing everyone in town."

"Right." Klaus responded. _But how the hell did he know who I was?_ He watched the pair for a few more moments then turned back to his friends with a smirk. "Any plans?"

* * *

The rest of the week passed by at an absurdly slow pace. True to his arrangements, Klaus refrained from skipping any classes and managed to keep concentration at least half of the time. But he hadn't contemplated just how boring and long-stretched the days would become by doing so. The lessons seemed to last for hours, and he gained newfound respect for students that had been working like this for the previous four years when he had barely lasted a week.

So by the time Friday came around, all Klaus wanted to do…was sleep.

"Are you serious, man?!" Damon cried. "It's a Friday! We're all going to go over to Hayley's and get the party started. Her dear old parents are gone for the weekend; come with us!"

"I told you before," Klaus shot back. "I have to be up early for tutoring tomorrow."

Differing from his brother, Stefan shared a sympathetic look with him. "They're really making you tutor disadvantaged kids?"

"Yes, they are."

The youngest Salvatore sighed, but patted his friend on the back as he turned to leave. "Well, best of luck."

Klaus managed a smile. "Thanks, mate."

Ignoring the protests from the rest of the group, Klaus began the long walk home. On the way he considered his options of travel for the following day. He'd already asked Esther if she could make an exception and let him take the bike, but she had refused point blank. _"That bike always seems to land you in trouble_." She had told him. That left Klaus with the options of either finding another volunteer whom he could ask a lift from, or taking the bus instead. As he didn't know who else volunteered, Klaus decided to make a mental arrangement to check the bus timetables back at home. He was still partially angry that he had to give up a free day when there were many different ways he could be punished. But he also saw fairness in it, and resigned himself to getting an early sleep for the first time in years.

_Preparation for control, number 1; acceptance. _He instructed. _Accept the consequences, just get through it as quickly as possible, and then it'll be over sooner_.

So when the alarm clock rang at 8am on Saturday morning, Klaus was more than ready to go. Esther knocked on the door just as he pulled a black V-neck shirt over his head. She gave a small smile. "Did you want me to make you anything before you go?" She asked, quietly.

Klaus shook his head. "No, it's fine." Reaching for his leather jacket, he paused at the doorway. "Thanks." He added.

"It's not a problem," Esther flicked the kettle on. "I'll see you later."

He gave a small nod, and closed the front door firmly behind him. The nearest bus stop was half a mile down the road; not that far from the school in fact. When Klaus reached the stop, he checked the time on his phone and sighed. _Typical_. He'd underestimated his ability to speed-walk and had ten minutes to kill.

He reached a hand inside his pocket and quickly pulled out a cigarette. He played with it between his fingers before lighting it. Inhaling deeply as smoke began to surface, Klaus exhaled loudly. The burning in his chest ignited into fire, and he welcomed the intensity with an open heart; his eyes closed, head tilted back.

"You must be Klaus."

He re-opened his eyes, turned slightly and saw another, slightly older man walking towards the bus stop dressed in dark blue jeans and a smart red shirt. His shoulder-length brown hair was neatly combed, and a slight stubble grew across his jawline. Apart from the stranger knowing his name, Klaus could see no other detail that suggested a questionable motive.

"And who's asking?" He challenged, inhaling another smoke.

The older man gave a short laugh. Smiling, he held out his hand good-naturedly. "My name is Finn Lawrence." Klaus shook his hand in response. He paused, as if waiting for a reaction before continuing. "I'm one of the student coordinator at Mystic Falls High School, and I'm also the founder of the tutor program between your school and Ashton High, where you'll be tutoring."

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "So you're here to keep an eye on me?"

"No," Finn shook his head. He cast a frown at the cigarette but made no complaint. ", I always travel by bus. And to answer your question: no. It's nothing personal, but one student coordinator must keep an eye on the tutoring sessions. We take turns every week, so you'll meet us all gradually."

"I see."

"And I know all the regular volunteers fairly well by now, and you're new." Finn took a quick look around the corner for the bus. "And Mr Richards informed me of your…involuntary position."

"Fantastic." Klaus replied, dryly.

Finn gave a chuckle. "Well, I'm not complaining; we could use all the help we can get."

A fairly comfortable silence progressed soon after and the two remained quiet for a few minutes until the bus came into view. Finn waved a hand to him. "After you." He said, and Klaus thanked him before holding his student pass up to the driver. He nodded him on with a glance, and Klaus took a seat near the back; silently hoping that the student coordinator didn't take the seat beside him. However, Finn took a seat near the front of the bus instead. _Alone at last _He thought. Klaus plugged in earphones and spent the rest of the journey lost in music.

When the bus reached Ashton High, he thanked the driver and followed Finn off the bus; walking a few feet behind him until they reached the entrance. Looking up at the building, Klaus noted that it was a simple, dark crème, one block structure; with a large grassy courtyard around the front. He also recognised a handful of other people from his school. There was Bonnie, a quiet girl in his English class who once won a nationwide writing competition. Klaus could only remember this because it had been made a great deal about, and she won a large sum of money and a scholarship ready and waiting after graduation. Walking beside her was Caroline. The blonde threw her head back and laughed at something her friend said, and a beautiful, musical sound warmed his dreary spirit.

_She seems to be showing up a lot, recently._ Klaus realised with a start. _Why does she suddenly keep turning up wherever I go?_

He watched her for a few more moments, interest somewhat peaked by the blonde who kept resurfacing. He'd always presumed her to be a quiet bookworm and nothing more. But there was something about her that fascinated Klaus; finally someone he couldn't see through right away, yet had no doubt he could control. She walked with an air of confidence that he hadn't seen in Caroline before, in school. Though he couldn't think of a single reason why she chose to hide beneath old-fashioned clothes alone in a library. Although remembering the strange way he felt about her, Klaus quickly decided to keep as much distance as he could from the blonde.

Once inside, he traced Finn's footsteps into a large, open room filled with two-seater desks and chairs. A few pairs had already begun tutoring, and Klaus spotted Caroline sitting beside a petite girl with dark waves and delicate features. The two had their heads bent over work already. Eyes moving to the next table, he saw Bonnie sitting with a tall boy; a grin plastered onto his face as he watched his tutor explain what looked like geometry. "Kol, are you even paying attention?!" He heard the brunette snap. Klaus watched the other boy ogling at Bonnie and smirked. _I don't think it's the work he attends for_, he thought dryly.

"Excuse me," He turned his eyes away from the girls and looked at Finn. The student coordinator was walking towards him with another boy; tall and muscular with ebony skin and sporting a blank expression. "I'd like to introduce you to your tutee. Klaus, this is Marcel. Marcel, this is your tutor, Klaus Mikaelson."

Klaus stuck out his hands reluctantly. "It's nice to meet you." He managed.

The other boy stared at the offending hand for a few moments, before shaking it in his own. "You too."

"Well, then," Finn rubbed his hands together. "I'll leave you two boys to get on with it. Marcel will show you what he needs tutoring on, and all you need to do is guide him through it to the best of your abilities. If you're stuck yourself, call me over. Apart from that, let me know if you need anything else." He turned, and began speaking to another pair; leaving Klaus on his own with his tutee.

He took a seat a few rows behind Bonnie and her tutee, Kol, and waited for Marcel to follow his lead. "So, what do you need help with?"

In reply, Marcel pushed a large textbook across the table towards Klaus entitled _'Biology: Units B4, B5, and B6.'_ Klaus gave a relieved sigh. Fortunately for Marcel, science was a subject that came relatively easy to him, so he shouldn't have any problems tutoring it.

"What parts are you struggling with?" He offered.

Marcel shrugged. "All of it."

"Okay…" Klaus paused. He wasn't sure whether to test Marcel on what he knew already to see the boy's capability, or simply go through each unit bit by bit. "So, how about we start at the beginning of the book then? We can see how we get along, and then I can test you afterwards. How's that sound?"

"Sounds fair enough."

_Well, thank the Lord for that._ Klaus thought, half-amused. He flicked the book open with one hand, and studied the first few pages briefly to cover the subjects. He then turned to Marcel. "Well then," He began. "What can you tell me about the physical factors that affect organisms?"

* * *

An hour and a half later and Klaus was waiting for the bus once again. He had successfully covered an entire unit with Marcel, and felt more pleased than he had expected to. Finn had said goodbye with a "That wasn't so bad now, was it?" but stayed a few more hours to watch over the others. Klaus was about to plug in his earphones, when he heard someone deliberately cleared their throat a few feet away.

"Hey, Klaus."

He groaned inwardly at her voice. _Oh, you cannot be serious._

"Hey." He stared straight ahead.

"You seemed to do really well with Marcel back there." She began. "I didn't know you started volunteering as a tutor." Her voice was quiet, but Klaus noted the admiration. When he said nothing, she continued. "I just wanted to say…I think it's really good of you. Not many people give up their free time to help others, so you must be very selfless."

"No, I'm not." He snapped, and shot her a dark look. "This is a set punishment, not an optional vacancy."

Klaus watched Caroline's eyes widen. "Oh." She looked down at the ground. "I just thought you…"

"What?" He scoffed. "You thought I volunteered because I was feeling generous? In fact," Unable to stop himself, Klaus took out another cigarette from his pocket and lit it in front of the stunned blonde. ", it may surprise you but not everyone gives up their free time to help disadvantaged kids. Most people go out, and have fun. Have you heard of that, love?" He smirked when Caroline took a small step away. "No, I didn't think you have. Why don't I show you," He exhaled a breath, and offered the smoke to her. ", here, I dare you to have a little fun, Caroline. Go on, prove me wrong."

Klaus challenged her with a glint in his eyes. Waiting for her to run, he was considerably surprised when she scrunched her pretty face into a scowl and took a step towards him instead. He watched in astonishment as the blonde snatched the cigarette from between his fingers, and angrily threw it onto the floor. She stomped the heel of her foot into it with force until the smoke began to clear. Satisfied, Caroline took a step back again. Her eyes slowly drew up until they stared into Klaus'. "I…I hate smoking." She said softly, and then cast her eyes down at the ground.

He was speechless for the first time in a long time. At most, he had expected the blonde to turn her back or ignore his teasing. But Klaus hadn't expected her to react so heatedly. He stared at her for a few more moments in silence, the lighter still in his left hand. Caroline kept shuffling her feet; left then right, then left again. She looked over her shoulder, back at the school, and then looked at Klaus for the briefest of glances as if contemplating leaving. Klaus wanted her to. _Leave_. He wanted to snap. _Why else is she still here?_ He thought. Surely he had angered the blonde enough to back away.

Caroline looked across at him again. Her loose curls fluttered over her shoulders; the wind blowing loose strands across her cheeks. The way she looked at Klaus was provoking his nerves. No one had the right to look at him like that. Like she was digging deeper and deeper into his mind; searching for something to hold over him. Her blue eyes were playing on his nerves like ice on fire; attempting to cool down the burning emotion coursing through his veins, but instead only fuelling the flame. Why the hell was she still looking at him?

Klaus was livid with frustration. "Why are you still here?"

The blonde did not reply, but continued to stare. He was just about to circle away and trek the long walk home, when she smiled. "Number 4."

"I'm sorry?" He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

With a secretive smile at Klaus, Caroline readjusted the strap on her bag and began to walk straight past him, heading off down the road. A few feet away, she paused and turned back with the same peaceful look and hidden smile on her face; hair bouncing in the wind like leaves. "Number 4," She repeated, gently. ", 'befriend someone I don't like'."

And with a final beam, he watched as the cryptic blonde disappeared around the corner, leaving Klaus Mikaelson with nothing more than a bewildered expression and a cluster of perplexed thoughts. The bus came pretty soon after that, and Klaus spent the rest of the ride home thinking about the number four and, once again, an intriguing blonde named Caroline.

* * *

**Please read if you can :)**

**I won't be updating for a couple of weeks because…I'm going on holiday! All my exams are finally over, and my family is heading off on a cruise around Norway and Iceland. I am very excited, but unfortunately will not be able to write whilst I am on the boat…if I do have some free time, I will write; but I cannot promise anything, sorry! **

**Story note; so in this chapter you met Steven, who will be developed more in the storyline with Bill and Caroline. If anyone wants to venture a guess as to how, then feel to! And remember that he KNEW Klaus, so how do you think he recognised him…? **

**You also met Finn and Kol, who obviously are NOT Klaus' brothers but are side characters who add to the story, hopefully (!). **

**Also, the continuing thought that Klaus has about control, is one that is very important with regards to his relationship with Caroline; he likes knowing about others so that he can control them, like he said, he can't control death or love so he controls people. It's 'Klaus Logic' and the reason he gets so frustrated with Caroline is because he cannot control her like he can with everyone else. She's intriguing to Klaus as he doesn't know what to think!**

**Oh, and the song that they sing in the church is 'Fireflight - Name' which is such a BEAUTIFUL song that always makes me feel really emotional, if you get the chance to listen to it! x**

**I SHALL RETURN…IN TWO WEEKS! x**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So, I really did want to update sooner but on whilst I was on the cruise the Wi-Fi was so expensive and it was only for about 10 minutes! It wasn't worth it, so please accept my apologies for not updating but this is as soon as I could get onto the internet. I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter, and in this one there are A LOT more Klaroline moments as promised :)**

**Oh, and for those of you who haven't realised; most of the story will be from Klaus' point of view, and for those of you who have read the book/watched the film, you'll know why too!**

**But I can promise that Caroline's point of view will return towards the end.**

**Enjoy, and review if you can! **

* * *

_It's a wish list._

Klaus sat up with a start. He'd been wide awake for at least an hour in an attempt to figure out Caroline's bizarre last words to him at the bus stop that previous afternoon. It had been on his mind ever since they parted ways and the moment the alarm clock alerted him to the presence of 7am, the answer had finally clicked.

He ran a hand along his damp forehead and sighed. _It's a bloody wish list. _

At first Klaus had thought the blonde was quoting. He'd spent at least half an hour going through various movies and novels in his mind to pinpoint what Caroline might've been copying. But he'd given up in frustration. Finally at rest, he allowed his thoughts to flow freely for the first time in hours. It annoyed him to no end that Caroline had managed to occupy a great amount of his time but Klaus also admitted to almost actually enjoying what seemed like a guessing game between the two.

_Who would've thought it?_ He thought with a smirk_. It seems like_ _Caroline Forbes is more than just a pretty little bookworm._

Considering this still, and ignoring the fact that he'd somehow called the blonde pretty, Klaus quickly dressed and threw on his usual jacket and combats before pausing in the kitchen to grab an apple from the counter. He bid goodbye to Esther, who was washing dishes as usual, and headed out the door with busying thoughts. It was a Monday; which meant that Klaus had to stay behind an hour or so in order to attend the drama club meeting. He hoped to be assigned a narration part or a backstage position and be out of school before Caroline could seep into his thoughts again. It was his luck that she had been contributing to both tutoring and drama meets. But Klaus had vowed to look the other way and resort from giving the blonde even as much as the time of day; then hopefully his slight interest would fade as quickly as it appeared.

When he arrived at first bell, Klaus quickly shoved textbooks in and out of his locker and headed on to first period History class. He walked in and noticed Mr Saltzman pause to stare at him longer than usual as he took a seat towards the back of the classroom. In his mid-30s, Alaric Saltzman had proved himself to be a respectable teacher in Klaus' eyes ever since he had forced Damon to memorise and recite the terms of the Weimar Government's 'Treaty of Versailles' every lesson until he'd listed them all one by one. All 20 terms and all. It had come around when Damon sniggered at a documentary regarding treatment of the Jews in Nazi Germany. It had taken 15 lessons, and hours of Elena listening to her boyfriend list the same thing repeatedly, but Damon eventually managed to redeem himself. All Mr Saltzman had said afterwards was "Let's move on." He hadn't congratulated Damon, nor had he warned the other boy, but the older man had both gained the respect of many students and taught the elder Salvatore to think before speaking all at once. Klaus admired that. And he hadn't lost that respect either. In fact, History was a subject Klaus actually enjoyed. It was possibly because he and Rebekah used to challenge each other to historical pop quizzes many years ago but he also found the subject itself fascinating as well. He welcomed information from the past with open eyes and Klaus also learnt that gaining power was through respect, as many leaders and politicians had proved before. Even Mr Saltzman had proved the same point.

But it was the development throughout history that interested Klaus. From cavemen, to Vikings, to the 21st century version of humans. Everything had changed and his curiosity knew no bounds discovering old fashioned ways of medicine, military and views on religion and rights. It made him thirst for knowledge like no other subject apart from one other; art. Painting, drawing, photography: anything that gave Klaus an excuse to pick up a new pencil and a blank sketching pad. Like History, there was such a development in the techniques of artistic portrayal and Klaus loved, more than anything, discovering a new angle to photograph or a finer brush to paint with.

Not that Klaus ever told anyone about his passions. That would mean giving someone a small piece of him, and _that_ would mean giving another person control. Knowledge would be offering them power over him, and control would follow on from that power like a stream of emotion and fear. To anyone else it sounded far from sane, but to Klaus it was a simple rule to remain independent, and of course; in control of the only life you were given.

Mr Saltzman addressed the class and pulled Klaus away from his thoughts. "I hope everyone had read chapter 5 and 6 as instructed?"

A few murmurs replied.

Someone took the seat ahead of him and Klaus looked up to see a head of blonde curls settling around a girl's shoulders. He gritted his teeth; his effort to avoid her failing in the first minute of first period. He contemplated moving seats even if it meant risking looking like a kindergarten who had been seated next to someone he disliked. For a moment he almost moved. He actually reached for his bag, and had begun mentally scanning for another chair when Caroline turned around in hers. She coyly tucked a strand of hair behind an ear and gave Klaus a timid smile. "Uh…sorry to bother you, do you have a spare pen?" The blonde held her own up. "Mine just ran out." She explained quietly.

_No!_ Klaus wanted to snap. _I don't!_ _And_ t_ake that sweet smile the hell away from me_.

Instead, he found himself reaching inside his half-retrieved bag and handing her a black ballpoint with a smile of his own. "Will that do?"

Caroline beamed. "It's perfect!"

Klaus raised an eyebrow and the blonde flushed. "I mean…it's great. Thank you!" With a final transition from cheeks of delicate pink to bright scarlet, Caroline bit her lip and set her mouth in a straight line. She swung her blonde curls over her shoulder to face the front again. Klaus ducked his head and bit his own lip so hard trying to hide his grin. He didn't want to admit it, but he wondered whether Caroline knew she was adorable when she was embarrassed. He had no intention of telling her though. His smile widened as he predicted the look of surprise that would appear on the blonde's face.

_Why did she suddenly look…annoyed though? _

"Excuse me, Klaus,"

His thoughts were interrupted and he looked up quickly when Mr Saltzman addressed him. The class fell into silence. ", is there something you wish to share?"

Tense, Klaus cleared his throat. "No…sir."

"So you were simply smiling at the joy of being in my class, am I correct?"

A few sniggers emerged.

"You are, sir." Klaus replied smoothly.

The sniggers became louder.

Mr Saltzman held his gaze for a few more moments and then gave a small shrug. "Very well, then." Klaus relieved the tension from his shoulders and relaxed as the teacher continued. "Now, if everyone could turn to a blank page in their books, we'll begin…"

_**6 hours later**_

Klaus didn't see Caroline again until after school at the drama club meeting. It was held in one of the three drama studios in the school and when Klaus showed up a few minutes late, a large handful of students had already made a circle of chairs in the middle of the stage floor. A young woman with platinum blonde hair, dressed elegantly in black slacks and a dark green cashmere sweater, was standing directly in the centre of the circle with her back to the door. Klaus politely cleared his throat and was met with 20 other students staring right back. He noted that Caroline glared at him too.

"Excuse me, Miss Branson?"

The young drama teacher, Lexi Branson was her full name, spun around and opened her arms wide with a grin. "Why, hello newcomer!" She beckoned him over and practically skipped to the side and dragged a chair across for Klaus to join the circle. He'd only met the joyous teacher a few times in all his time at Mystic Falls High but her reputation preceded her greatly. Every year, Miss Branson held as many activity days and celebration parties as possible. When their sports teams won, or even placed second, the younger drama teacher could be found persuading Mr Richards to hold an evening ball or disco. She could also be found encouraging as many students as she could corner to join the drama club. She was in a nutshell, vibrant. Numerous chains and necklaces hung around her neck with various charms and her eyes were brightly made up with greens and blues. But the teacher's smile was always joyful, and her eyes always kind.

"Mr Richards told me to make sure you showed. Here, take a seat and join the group!" Miss Branson spread her arms wide and spoke to the students as Klaus sat down next to Bonnie, and a dark-haired, lanky girl named Heather. Both brunettes crossed their legs and avoided his gaze. "Everyone, this is Klaus. Klaus, meet everyone!" She leaned closer and her smile turned sincere. "I know you're not here of your own free will, Klaus, but you might as well have a little fun!"

He nodded, slightly impressed.

Miss Branson backed into the middle again. "Now, where were we?"

"We were discussing the casting for the play, miss." Heather offered.

"Ah, yes!" The teacher nodded animatedly. "So, this year, like I said before, we're doing something a little different. We're doing a wonderful original play, written by our very talented writer, Bonnie. It's an absolutely splendid script, and I cannot wait for us all to perform it together."

The brunette beside Klaus blushed at the praise. "It's not that good." Bonnie argued, but her smile grew.

"Oh, hush!" Miss Branson cried happily. "It's marvellous, dear. Now, where did I put it…?"

The drama teacher hurried to her desk full of messy piles of papers and began searching through the fray. The circle of students began talking amongst themselves as she busied herself in finding Bonnie's script, and Klaus looked around. He recognised most faces, but the only students he'd actually spoken to or knew were Caroline and Bonnie. He watched as Caroline listened to a mousy-haired boy talk quietly. The pair seemed to be leaning towards each other, and looked relatively cosy as they chattered and smiled; at ease in one another's company.

_She could do so much better. _Klaus thought with slight zeal. He couldn't help it, the thought appeared from nowhere.

"Here we go!"

The chattering died down as Miss Branson came forwards again, holding a laminated book with a clipboard and pencil. "I found it!" The drama teacher flicked her straight hair over her shoulder so it streamed down her back in a river of gold. She smiled widely at the gathered students and began reading from the list, her voice clear. "Our story, for those of us who haven't been told yet, "

Miss Branson shot a pointed look at Klaus who resisted the urge to shrug. ", tells the life of Tommy Thornton; a young, dashing, but arrogant club owner in the 1940s. His girlfriend, Beth, is a sweet but naïve girl and the play is centred around Tommy's club and another mysterious girl who affects our male lead…romantically." The drama teacher winked, and two girls giggled. Klaus bit back an eye roll as Miss Branson continued. "It's a wonderful script, and one that I have no doubt we will all put our best foot forward to do it justice." She paused, and pulled a sheet of paper onto the clipboard. "Here, I have the casting list. As I told you before, there have been no auditions like usual as I have decided who shall play what part with Bonnie's approval. If you have any problems with the list, speak when I give you the opportunity to do so, is that understood, dears?"

The students began to buzz with excitement at the news. A few girls whispered and giggled as they discussed possibilities and one red-haired girl shot dirty looks at as many girls in the circle as she could. There were only five boys, Klaus noted. And although four of them looked relatively curious at who had been cast, Klaus could not bring himself to care one bit.

"So, here we go," Miss Branson began with a flourished wave.

The pupils fell into an anticipated silence.

"Our Beth will be played by…" The blonde teacher ran her eyes along each student before resting on…"…Heather Richards."

Klaus bit back a growl when the brunette to his right, Heather, let out a girlish squeal so high he was surprised the fire alarm didn't go off. She clapped her hands together in glee and a wide grin broke out on her face as she ignored the looks of disappointment on the rest of most of the girls. Klaus noted that Caroline simply smiled at the delighted girl and joined in with a few other half-hearted claps from the others.

_She is the principle's daughter._ Klaus thought slyly. _I have no doubt that Mr Richards put in a good word with Miss Branson, or most likely bribed her or threatened her precious drama club. _Klaus had spoken to Heather a brief number of times and she seemed like a typically girly airhead. She wasn't exactly dumb, but the brunette was entirely focused on her looks over her education and everyone knew it except her father, who wanted to believe that there was more to his little girl than shopping and false nails.

Miss Branson folded her arms pointedly. "Are you done yet?"

Heather fell silent again. "Y-yes," The brunette nodded, slightly flushed. "Thank you, Miss."

"You're most welcome. Now, let's continue…"

Klaus drifted in and out of concentration as the drama teacher continued to assign various parts to other students. Some were happy when they received minimal speaking lines, and others were distraught when they were assigned as a background singer, or behind the scenes helper. But overall, everyone seemed content with their given part.

He looked down at his boots and waited for the teacher to read out his name. "And…Caroline Forbes will play our beautiful, mysterious club singer, Alyssa."

Head shooting up, Klaus watched as Caroline's smile lit her face in gratitude and she ducked her head to hide in her curls. Beside her, the mousy-haired boy nudged her with his elbow and the two grinned at each other in shared happiness. "Congratulations!" He heard the boy say. The entire class seemed happy with the decision, and other students called out their praise, much to Klaus' surprise; though if anyone _had_ dared to oppose the choice, Klaus wouldn't have been the first to defend Caroline.

"And finally, we have decided that the role of Tommy Thornton will go to…Klaus Mikaelson."

At that final statement, Klaus looked up so fast that his neck clicked painfully. He rubbed at the bruising skin with careful fingers and ignored the scattered applause. "Uh…Miss?" He began to say. Miss Branson tilted her head at him, inviting him to speak. "I uh…didn't want a speaking part, let alone one of the main roles. I appreciate it, really, I do, but…I'd rather have another part."

He suddenly felt every pair of eyes on him once again. Most bore into his own like lasers; persuading Klaus to let go of his pride and accept the role. But Caroline's gaze felt different, lighter. Whereas the others were forceful, or at least encouraging, the blonde's gaze was a blur of soft intensity. The others faded away as their eyes locked for a couple more seconds until Klaus reluctantly blinked, the feeling; broken. He'd felt her encouragement differently from the others, more in a playful dare to abandon his egoistic nature and step forwards in the role of Tommy. He wasn't one for games - not unless he was the one in control - but he somehow didn't mind it if Caroline was in charge instead. If she wanted to be the Alyssa to his Tommy, then a game it would be. He was still curious as to why she seemed annoyed with him though. Apart from the event at the bus stop, he hadn't acted too terribly towards the blonde.

Miss Branson was still staring at him, her eyes narrowed. "Do you think you are too good for this role?"

"No," Klaus replied, quickly. ", I was just…not sure I could cope with such a major role but, you know what?" He sighed. "Sure, I'll do it."

He watched as the class applauded again and the drama teacher beamed happily once more. "Excellent decision, Klaus! I know the role is a major one, but rehearsals are fairly frequent and I'm sure your friends will help you run lines after school as well."

Klaus sincerely doubted that any of his friends would do anything but mock and mimic him if he asked for help with drama lines. All they'd do is mess around or do something idiotic like tear the pages apart or trick him into doing something else. _On second thoughts, Stefan might offer to help. _Klaus considered his friend. _He's not a complete imbecile like the other lot._

It was true. Of late, Stefan had proved himself over all the others in the group and Klaus had begun to notice more and more as the days rolled on. When Matt was drowning, Stefan was the only one to offer to stay behind and a couple of days ago, the youngest Salvatore brother had been the only one to stick around and run laps with Klaus in gym, even if it was after a little persuasion. The pair got on well, and Klaus was grateful for the company over the others.

"Well, that's all for today then." Miss Branson lowered the clipboard with a final scribble of the pencil. "We'll begin reading through next week and start stage and dress rehearsals the following week. If anyone has any problems, come and find me here or in my office up on the English floor. Until then, may your days be filled with drama, and…"

"-good fortune!" The class finished in unison.

Klaus rolled his eyes but also felt the hint of a faint smile pulling at the corners of his lips as he tightened his jacket and stood to leave with the others. He followed the students out of the studio and into the courtyard outside and lingered near the bus stop. He usually welcomed the long walk but today, all he wanted was to get home as soon as possible to get a few things in order such as the play. Was he really going to go through with the part? Or was he going to change his mind and scoff at the idea? In the end, it _was_ a pride thing. Klaus knew his friends would laugh until they cried when they heard about it but another part of him felt compelled to support Miss Branson and the rest of the students who would no doubt put a lot of work and spare time into it.

"Do you need a lift?"

Klaus flinched from his thoughts and almost hit his head on the lamppost he'd been leaning on. He turned and saw Caroline standing a few feet away. Today's chosen outfit was another eye-catcher; long grey skirt with a white t-shirt and baggy dark green cashmere sweater slung over the top with navy and white lace-ups. He found himself smirking and grimacing at the same time. "Sure," He replied. "Why not?"

She didn't ask for his address but Klaus knew she didn't need to. Mystic Falls was the kind of town where everyone knew everyone's whereabouts whether they knew each other or not. As he trailed behind the blonde, Klaus waited for Caroline to lead the way to her car. He was surprised that she had a car but once he had gotten over the initial shock, Klaus had begun to guess the car that matched the…_style_ of Caroline Forbes. _Perhaps that beaten up Chevy in the corner, _He raked his narrowed eyes over few cars left in the courtyard. _Or that tiny, grey mini cooper._

A few seconds later and the blonde stopped.

"Here we are."

Klaus let out an appreciative whistle. He wasn't a fan of cars, but he did appreciate a classic model and Caroline's car was a gorgeous Triumph Herald. It was painted an elegant dark maroon and was polished and cleaned to the max. Although his motorbike was his one true love, Klaus wouldn't have protested against having the blonde's car as a backup.

"Nice car." He managed coolly. The pair climbed into the car and closed their doors with equal care. "I am most surprised that Daddy lets his baby girl drive though."

Caroline squirmed in her seat.

He couldn't help it. He just couldn't. Klaus had been far too nice to the blonde as it was already; he couldn't give her anymore compliments without his entire personality dissolving into thin air. Everything about Caroline felt both comforting and aggravating all at once. He wanted to speak softly and murmur sweet nothing in her ear until she blushed, and he also wanted to snap at her until she became a simpering, sobbing mess. It was complicated.

_Control_. There was that bloody word again. It felt, to Klaus, like being around Caroline made him loose control. Not in a way where one is consumed by animalistic lust or rage, but in the loss of control where one does not know how to act around another person. He felt…unsure. Of both himself and his actions. He'd met many people with good hearts and kind eyes in his life but as he looked at the blonde sitting next to him he felt…different. It was very unnerving to a boy who controlled his heart carefully and Klaus wanted to figure the whole thing out sooner, rather than later and before it became out of hand. He wanted to ask Caroline if she felt as…confused as he did.

Instead, he grinned and asked, "Are you going to tell me more about your wish list then?"

Caroline squirmed again and reached out with a hand to switch on the radio system. "No." She mumbled. A slow ballad began to play and Klaus immediately reached out with his own hand to switch the channel before he felt like leaping out of the car. Bon Jovi's 'Dead or Alive' began screaming through the stereo and Klaus welcomed the tempo change and happily leaned back in his seat again. Just when the guitar solo broke out, Caroline frowned and switched the station back to the ballad.

Klaus ground his teeth together in frustration. _Two can play at this game,_ He thought, and clicked back to Bon Jovi before Adele could begin warbling about lost love. He rested his head against the backboard and waited for Caroline to make her move again. But she didn't. She tore her eyes away from the road for a few moments to look at him. "Fine, you win." She told him with a smile; keeping both hands on the wheel as promised.

He looked out of the window instead. "Thank you." Klaus continued to avoid eye contact as the blonde pulled her car off the main road and down into the winding, long avenues leading closer to his house. The sky was a fairly pale blue and the weather; warm, for an early afternoon in March. Ahead, a traffic light turned red and Caroline stopped the car with a sigh. Klaus stared at a group of people hanging outside…Stefan and Damon's large house. _Shit!_ He cursed inwardly as he recognised Damon, Stefan and Elena perched on the wall outside the Salvatore house. He put his pride first and ducked down from their view and began searching for something – anything – in his bag to hide. The traffic light, after what seemed like hours, finally turned green and Caroline drove away from his friends.

"Lose your pride down there?" The blonde remarked dryly.

Klaus ran a tongue across his lips. He wanted to bite back a reply, but Caroline was right. "Something like that."

He watched from the corner of his eye as the blonde shook her head at his actions. The usually quiet bookworm even had the nerve to scoff at him. "You're so predictable." She muttered, angrily as if she was deeply offended and hurt by such a simple movement.

"I _beg_ your pardon?" At Caroline's statement, Klaus raised an eyebrow in disbelief and tilted his head to the left so sharply that he clicked his neck for the second time that day. _Bloody hell, not again_. He bit his lip and began to roughly massage his neck again in circular motions. The throbbing pain dulled after a moment's pause. "You don't know me, love." He hissed. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up in flared anger.

"Oh, I do."

Klaus was certain the blonde was trying to test his patience. He was _not_ predictable.

When he didn't reply, Caroline took it as a sign and that he wanted more proof and when another traffic light further up another road turned red, the blonde angled herself until she was facing Klaus. "Well, let's see, shall we?" She thought for a moment. "Why, you're Klaus Mikaelson. We've had History and Biology together since freshman year." Caroline held up a finger for every point she made. "You drive a '96 Henley and always wear the same jacket everyday unless you attend church, and _then_; you always wear a white shirt, black tie and suit. You never sing or join in with any hymns but you do stare at me quite frequently when I sing."

Klaus was speechless as she carried on.

"I know that you hate being seen with anyone who could possibly give you a positive reputation and I know that you befriend those you know you can keep in order. I'm still not sure why, but I am working on it. My current theory is that you seek the company of those you can…control. It's like some freaky animal thing." She frowned again. "And I also know that although you may be a typical bad boy, you do believe in fair judgement as you've followed through on every punishment set for your actions; which leaves me thinking that you do possess qualities of a decent person but you just deliberately choose to act like a moron instead. I think…it's easier for you that way?" The blonde shook her head, and flashed him a winning smile. "You see? Quite predictable after all."

"It's a '97 Henley actually." – was all Klaus could argue with.

A silence occurred after that was neither uncomfortable nor awkward, but rather a feeling of intensity that Klaus marvelled in. He was taken aback by Caroline's words but also somewhat proud of her deductions. He'd never met someone who could read him so easily or at least read him with partial accuracy. It made Caroline herself unpredictable, in his eyes. Granted, she was annoyingly peppy but the Caroline underneath the surface was worth discovering, or so Klaus was beginning to consider.

Caroline cleared her throat after a long pause. She seemed to remove the smile from her face and replace it with another hard-set line. "Did you know that Matt Donavan was moved to another hospital in Virginia?" The blonde didn't take her eyes off the road this time. "Although he's almost physically recovered, it turns out he still doesn't know what happened. Some are saying it was a possible suicide attempt."

"Don't be ridiculous." Klaus snapped back.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but how would you know?" Caroline replied, and Klaus could've sworn he saw a hint of anger in her usually calm exterior. He noticed her grip on the wheel tightening. "I know you were the one who found him that night, and I know that you don't know what happened to make him but you have no idea what he was going through-"

As if losing track of what she was saying, Caroline cut off abruptly and stared out into the road again. He waited for her to carry on but after a few more moments passed, Klaus realised she had been about to say something she shouldn't have. But now he was curious. And annoyed. Caroline had gone from being humouress and intriguing to damn right irritably persistent in a mere manner of seconds.

_She's pissing me off now. _Klaus thought coldly. _I take back everything I thought earlier. _He debated about asking her to pull over but his house was almost in view. _Caroline Forbes is not worth getting to know, she's just a bloody nosey geek who gets a rise out of being a smartass around others. _

"Mind your own business, woman." He muttered.

His house came into view but instead of saying goodbye, Caroline – with an amount of skill that surprised Klaus – spun the car around next to the curb and stalled the engine. Her expression was unreadable in the low light. "Well, prove me wrong. What _would_ you know about peer pressure?"

"Peer pressure is for those weak enough to follow others," He replied harshly. It was a partial truth as Klaus believed peer pressure only happened to the weak but also when encouragement surfaced as well. It was a mixture of sly persuasion and occurrence of the urges to prove others wrong; but he didn't voice this to Caroline. Instead, he added, "And Matt Donavan was a footballer, he'd already succumbed to peer pressure the moment he attended the bloody trials."

"Matt loved football!" Caroline defended quickly. She was beginning to rev up quite the temper. "He worked incredibly hard to get a spot on the team and now he might possibly never get another chance if he doesn't recover, and all because you and your stupid friends decided to pressure him into doing something so idiotic, he ended up in the hospital!"

The blonde's eyes widened as she realised what she'd said. "I mean…I…I just meant that…well…" She trailed off into silence, her eyes as large as the kitchen saucers Esther collected.

_Wait…_

…_is this why she's been acting so cold towards me?_

"What the hell are you saying?" Klaus demanded. The tension in the car was thick with unspoken confessions, but not for much longer. _Was that a bloody good guess, or does she somehow know we were all there that night?_ He wondered. His thoughts were colliding with possible theories, and he leaned forwards with a start and grabbed Caroline's arm with his. "Tell me." He repeated.

Caroline's wide eyes stared at his arm with slight fear, and he immediately pulled back again. His intention hadn't been to frighten the blonde but he needed to know whether she had been guessing or not. "Tell me, please." He said softly this time.

Her hands still shook but Caroline folded them into her lap slowly and cleared her throat again. She looked down at her hands and spoke quietly, "I….I was at the dance that night, just sitting with Bonnie, and I noticed that your…_gang_ looked across at Matt before leaving. I thought that was a bit strange anyhow but I left it alone…until Matt left not fifteen minutes after." Her voice shook but she carried on. "I thought it was just a coincidence but then with what happened, and you being the one to find Matt…I just…put two and two together." She shot him a glare. "I hope you're happy, Klaus, you might've destroyed someone's career just for your own fun."

And there it was. The reason why Caroline was so angry at him. She was annoyed not only for what Klaus and his friends had done to Matt, but for what it costed the footballer. Klaus felt certain that the idea of toying with emotions made the blonde sick to her stomach and fuelled the coldness she'd been directing at him lately. And it seemed like the injured boy was a dear friend of hers as well, to make matters worse.

"Good deduction."

Klaus couldn't admit his wrongs. He just couldn't. It would be like apologising for eating the last slice of cake when you enjoyed it too much to lie. But Klaus did feel a pang of guilt after Caroline's words. He was angry that someone had realised as it meant that anyone could if they looked close enough. He hadn't felt at all guilty until now and the feeling grew steadily as the silence stretched on. Once again, he was inwardly conflicted through guilt, anger and wonder all at the same time.

"Thanks for the lift." He offered.

The blonde refused to acknowledge his words and stared out of the window. Her gaze was distant and Klaus also noticed a hint of what looked like disappointment in her blue eyes that made his stomach clench with unexpected grief. Grief that came about with knowing that Caroline was angry towards him. He wanted to hit something; to relieve the emotion through an act of physical aggression before he let it consume him. He hated feeling like this and felt the need to get as far away from her as possible.

Without either of the pair saying goodbye, Klaus grabbed the bag below his feet and quickly exited the vehicle; leaving behind both the silent tension and the silent blonde. Caroline had managed to make Klaus question his actions and the young man felt a rush of heated anger and pride all at once. He was out of his depths and out of the control he craved. Klaus needed to sort a few things out before they redefined what he thought had been the easier, and better, way of living.

He slammed the door behind him and leaned against it heavily.

_I need to see Matt._

* * *

"Klaus?"

"Hi, Matt." There was a moment's pause as the footballer sat up in his hospital bed with a startled expression on his face. "How are you feeling?"

It was probably the worst thing Klaus could've said when he thought about his role leading to Matt's current whereabouts but his mind had gone blank of any snarky remark the seconds he locked eyes with the other boy. He took a few steps forward but paused at the edge of the bed.

Matt flinched and Klaus held up his open palms as if to show the footballer that he meant him no further harm. It was a harmless gesture but Matt's eyes seemed to widen in fear and he gulped in response. Klaus dropped his hands to his sides in surrender. "I'm not here to threaten you, Matt." He began quickly. He managed to keep his voice calm to support the claim. "I wanted to see how you are, nothing more. I swear it."

"You swear it?" The other boy's fear disappeared long enough for him to scoff. "Why should I take your word on anything?" He retaliated.

Klaus shrugged at that. He knew that the footballer had a point and saw no use in arguing. Klaus, along with his friends, had lured Matt with the promise of always having a spot in their group if he followed through on a dare. That dare, or prank, had resulted in Matt's registry in hospital and had also resulted in three broken ribs, two cracked ones, and a torn ligament in the boy's right calf. Klaus had learnt from the nurse that the tear was temporary and the ribs were healing fast but he had barely spoken to any of his family or friends.

He didn't know how to begin an apology. In any imaginable scenario, there was no way Matt would accept one from Klaus let alone listen to a crappy attempted one. He looked at Matt carefully. The other boy's eyes were darkened with sleepless nights and any sign of the happy-go-lucky, lovable blonde quarterback was seemingly gone.

"If you are here to threaten me, I haven't said anything." Matt said plainly. "What you and your friends did was…revenge-worthy, but that isn't me. I wanted you and your friends to respect me, like me even," Matt looked down. ", now I can't remember a single reason why I ever wanted that. I don't want an apology and you can take my word that I won't say anything about your involvement. But will you swear to do one thing for me in return?"

Klaus nodded once. "Name it."

"Leave me alone."

"I will." He promised. His shoulders suddenly felt heavy with a weight he finally understood. "I swear it."

Matt turned his head away from Klaus and flicked on the television seated on the desk at the end of his bed. His eyes glazed over and he stared at the screen with blank eyes. Without knowing what else to say, Klaus said goodbye and left the room, carrying the heavy weight of regret on his shoulders. He'd felt it before but not like this. Not this crushing force of impossible guilt screaming into his mind with murderous cries. This was different.

Caroline had broken through a barrier and showed Klaus Mikaelson the ripple effect of his actions simply through passionate words and a kind heart; and as crushing as the guilt in his heart felt now, Klaus would be feeling whole new waves of emotion that he hadn't thought possible as his time with her grew, quickly, into something more.

* * *

**I'm back from my holiday so hope you enjoyed the update and I'll update again ASAP!**

**I hope you enjoyed it too, and leave a review if you have the time. **

_**P.S. There will be more on…Caroline's wish list, the play, and later on; Klaus' family, and Caroline's family.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the feedback, I am extremely grateful to all the followers and reviews :)**

**In this chapter, you'll see more Klaroline moments, and Klaus is beginning to see things differently. Although there will obviously be a lot more romance, it is a slow-burner as you can probably tell. But they will be sharing their first kiss…in one of the next few chapters! And from there, it begins to heat up.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Klaus continued to keep up his attendance as the days passed by. Previously forgotten assignments and new essays took up most of his after-school calendar but the dedications came about easily and without question. He had gotten into it surprisingly well, even managing to find it pleasantly mundane as opposed to the aggravation he had expected to feel when cancelling plans in exchange for drama club meets. But the work came as a grateful distraction, covering the guilt that he still felt towards Matt. The guilt was a new feeling for Klaus. It wasn't as if it was an entirely new emotion, he'd felt guilty before when arguing with Rebekah and Elijah, or causing his mother undesirable stress, but this was at a whole new level. It had blossomed ever since Caroline had admitted her anger in her car outside his house. Before, he'd simply brush it off and replace it with a freshly lighted cigarette and join the Salvatores, Elena and Hayley to kill some time, but he'd seen his actions from the blonde's perspective and now, he couldn't forget it.

That was another point. He hadn't properly spoken to any of his friends in a while. Every Tuesday and Friday, he and Stefan would run laps after school for an hour or so until their legs gave in. Klaus had always been determined to keep healthy and fit and he and Stefan always made plans to exercise together in order to avoid surrender. The youngest Salvatore had fed back that Damon and Elena were still skipping all their classes to hang out behind the parking lot, away from prying eyes of lurking teachers nearby, and that Hayley still often joined them out of boredom with her latest male prey.

"So why don't you join us anymore, man?" Stefan turned to Klaus and asked, as they finished their fifth lap around the field. "Are we not good enough for you?" The younger Salvatore brother was teasing but Klaus also noted the slight hurt underneath his playful tone.

Klaus shook his head. "It's not that. I've got to keep up my attendance or I'll get pulled out of school."

"I thought you didn't care about school?"

"I don't." Klaus muttered. He thought for a moment. He wanted to tell Stefan that Esther was going to contact Mikael if he got into more trouble but that was private. Instead, he replied, "I'm not a complete idiot, Stefan. I know that I can't get through life with motorbikes and malt whiskey. So, I just have to prioritise for a little while, even if it means doing bloody essays and algebra catch-up sessions."

There was a pause for a few seconds as they continued to jog. Stefan let out a small chuckle. "Who would've thought it? Klaus Mikaelsen is more than just an alcoholic bad boy!" He offered a smile though. "I'm glad, buddy. I'm glad that I'm not the only somewhat sensible one anymore."

Klaus returned the grin. "Don't go soft on me, mate."

"Never."

The pair jogged for another half an hour until they gave in, gulped down water and headed off home in different directions. Stefan had agreed to help Klaus run lines a few times but the other boy also had football practise to worry about. Apparently, important scouts from companies would be at the home game in two weeks' time and everyone on the team was putting in extra hours. It looked like Klaus wasn't the only one who was shaping up and straightening priorities.

"I'm home." Klaus announced, closing the front door behind him. He frowned. Normally, Esther would be sitting in the kitchen with a tea and an open laptop, sorting out online orders for her bridal store. But when Klaus walked in, she was nowhere to be seen. "Mother?" He called out carefully.

A distant voice replied, "I'm in here, Klaus."

He moved from the kitchen, down the hall and towards his mother's room and found Esther sitting on the bed, staring at a mounted piece of card in her hands. She stared at the small paper with blank eyes, her gaze only shifting when Klaus appeared in the doorway. "What is that?" He asked.

"It's from your father." Still distant, Esther held out the neatly framed piece of card and offered it to Klaus. The first thing he noticed was the four lines of neat calligraphy type on the card. It wasn't a simple postcard or letter; this was the type of font that you use to proudly show of a celebration or…an announcement.

**Mikael Mikaelsen and Elizabeth Worthing**

**Request the honour of your presence at the reception of their union;**

**25****th**** June, 2013.**

**Langham Hall, Boston Hotel. 250 Franklin Street.**

Klaus was shaking with anger. How dare Mikael invite his ex-wife and hated son to his wedding? He felt his fingers angrily curl around the paper's edges until it folded and creased in his hands. He wasn't sure whether to tear it apart or catch the nearest flight to Massachusetts and show Mikael just how angry he had become. It was one thing announcing a wedding, but announcing the wedding to his mother was an act of power; a display of sick, masculine power. He looked at Esther who was still sitting on the bed in disbelief. "I can't believe he had the nerve to send this."

"At least he only invited us to the reception." She managed weakly.

Klaus threw the card onto the floor. "He must really love her if he's only known her a few years." He spat. About to mutter something much ruder, he noticed Esther look up at him. She paused, as if wanting to say something else, then looked away to avoid his gaze.

"What?"

"There's something I should have told you a while back."

"_Mother, what_?" He repeated.

Esther stood and left the room. He trailed after her in annoyance, back into the kitchen as she reached for the kettle switch and slowly took a seat at the table. Klaus mirrored her actions and waited for her to continue her explanation. "What I told you, about Mikael and I, was true," She began again. "The reason we divorced _was_ because we were fighting and arguing all the time and that Mikael blamed me for your…_lifestyle_ choices."

Klaus managed not to fidget.

"But there was also something else." Esther finally looked up at him. "I caught your father having an affair the week before I left with you. We'd been planning the divorce for a few months but had never actually decided on a date until we told you, Rebekah and Elijah." Klaus blinked in surprise. "But I was home from work early when you and Rebekah were away at school, and found him in our bed with that woman. I screamed at him and packed most of my bags right there and then. When you two arrived back home, I told you that we had decided to divorce."

"I remember that." Klaus said quietly, trying to take it all in. He wasn't surprised that Mikael would do that to his mother but the information was still new. "Rebekah and I came in and you and Mikael were sitting at the table together, waiting. It was the first time we hadn't seen you both in the same room without fighting for as long as I can recall. I think we both knew what you were going to say."

"You three have always been incredibly clever children." Esther smiled fondly. "You, Elijah and Rebekah were the only good to come from Mikael and me, and no matter how much anger I feel towards him, I will always be grateful for the wonderful gifts our marriage brought about in our children. That's what's important, Klaus," She reached for his hand across the table and held it. "You must always remember that. Never focus on the bad things, or the negative consequences of your mistakes. Focus on the light and the beauty of your actions instead."

Klaus suddenly saw Esther differently. He smiled at her; the woman who had defended him to an angry husband; the woman who had left her home in search of a new beginning with him. This was their second chance, and although Klaus had recklessly and selfishly wronged her in so many ways – ignoring her, smoking against her will, semi-permanent expulsion – she was still here. In some ways, Klaus felt like this was his second chance now. His chance to prove to Esther that all the times she had stood against Mikael had been worth it, and that he appreciated everything she had done for him.

"I take it you don't want to go to the reception then?"

Klaus shook his head adamantly. "I think you already know my answer, mother. And you shouldn't want to go either."

"I have to see my children."

_Oh._

How would he feel about seeing Rebekah and Elijah again? Even so, how would Esther feel? She hadn't seen them for three years. They had written emails and letters about how they were doing; Rebekah wrote about school life and cheerleading practise, and his elder brother wrote about Law School and general life but it wasn't the same. Their letters became infrequent and Klaus hated not knowing so he chose to block them from his mind instead. It was easier focusing on drinking and hanging out with his friends rather than think about the siblings he couldn't speak to.

"Don't you want to see your brother and sister again?" Esther asked gently.

Klaus swallowed. Of course he did. But what if things were different now? They had been parted a long while, years, and the last time they spoke…they hadn't parted on good terms. Rebekah hadn't even made the effort to say goodbye to the pair and Elijah had distanced himself as a big hotshot soon-to-be lawyer in an attempt to avoid the family drama.

"I'll think about it."

Esther stood to pour out the tea. "Don't fret now. You've got three months to think about it, son."

"Mother," Klaus pushed his chair back and stood. He needed to get on with practising lines for the play or else he'd look a fool on show night. He wanted to say 'thank you for letting me come to Mystic Falls with you when I was part of the reason for your divorce' or 'thanks for not sending me back to Mikael'. Instead, he smiled and said, "Thank you."

Smiling at her son, Esther added sugar to her cup. "Anytime."

* * *

"_Stefan!_"

"I'm sorry, this is just too good!"

"Oh, bloody hell!"

Klaus gave a sigh in defeat and threw his copy of the play down onto the bench beside his friend. Another week had gone by and Klaus had recruited Stefan to run lines at his house, but it wasn't going well. The other boy had dissolved into a laughing fit as he slowly flicked through the laminated pages, sharing amused looks with Klaus every few pages or so. "_Oh Tommy, when did you know?" _Stefan mimicked in the high-pitched female tone of a drag queen. _"When did you know that we were in love?"_

"Stefan…" Klaus warned again.

"Okay, fine! Okay…let's see…right, where did we get up to again?"

Frustrated, he shot a glance at Stefan before giving another sigh and throwing himself down onto the garden bench. "I give up." He announced to his friend. "There is just no way possible that I, Klaus Mikaelsen, can manage to learn all my lines in one month, 2 weeks and 4 days. It's impossible, and I completely surrender. I'll just tell Miss Branson to find a new Tommy."

"Come on, that's not the right attitude!"

"But it's impossible." Klaus protested. "I can only run lines with you when you're not at football practise and I can't very well play both parts by myself, I'll look like a bloody idiot!" He glared at the script. "I suppose it's a good case of karma coming full circle for what I did to Matt."

Stefan lowered his head. "I think you're forgetting something. Don't you mean; what _we_ did to Matt." He folded his arms across his chest, head still bowed. "I still don't feel comfortable that you took the fall for all of us. It isn't fair that you're the only one who got caught only because you stayed to make sure he was in fact, breathing."

"It's fine, mate." Klaus offered.

"No, it isn't."

"Well, let's put it behind." He remembered his mother's words. "There's no use dwelling on the past. Something good came from it."

Stefan looked at him, puzzled. "Did it?"

"I don't know about you, but it certainly gave me a wake-up call. Yes, I still dislike school and yes, I still smoke, but I don't know…something's different. Matt can no longer do what he is passionate about because of our actions and for the first time, I saw the consequences of those actions clearly." His thoughts turned to Caroline. "Whilst I might not care, others do. And that isn't going to score me any big points in life if I treat people like my own personal puppets. So, for now, I think I need to reign it in and…try to think about others more."

"Wow, that's deep, buddy."

"If you repeat that to anyone then I'll rip out your vocal chords with my hands before you get the chance to. Understood?"

"I thought we were having a moment!"

Klaus smirked and elbowed his friend. "Don't push your luck."

"What are you going to do about the play then?" Stefan reminded him. "I know Damon, Elena and Hayley won't but why don't you find someone else to practise with when I'm busy? You must have at least one person at drama club who doesn't completely hate your guts. Otherwise you're going to make a complete idiot out of yourself on opening night."

"I don't have a choice." Klaus grumbled.

Stefan looked down to check his watch and stood. "Look, you know I'll help you out as often as I can, right?" Klaus nodded. "But right now, I've got to run. Damon and I have to help out at one of mom's art gallery exhibitions in a few hours so we need to load the frames into the van." He offered an apologetic smile. "In the meantime, you need to find someone who will practise with you. Use that famous Mikaelsen charm that I know you have buried deep somewhere…"

* * *

"No."

"Caroline, don't be like that. I know we had a little argument, but I really do need your help-"

"No." The blonde snapped again.

Klaus sighed. He had managed to locate her on the way to the library after school and had quickly run through the crowd to catch up with her. As they rounded the corner, he followed her into the empty library area with a pleading look. He had attempted to use every power of persuasion, including sweetness, but Caroline wasn't having any of it.

"Come on, love, please."

"If you call me '_love'_ one more time then I definitely won't help you!"

He smirked. "So you'll consider helping me?"

"Don't you dare put words into my mouth, Klaus Mikaelsen!"

Holding his hands up in surrender, he followed behind Caroline as she trailed up the twining staircase and walked across to the same spot he had found her in previously. She continued to ignore the persisting boy as she settled herself down on the low cushion seat and opened a hardback book to where she had bookmarked it near the halfway mark. As if he wasn't standing right in front of the blonde, Caroline showed no sign of his presence and began to read.

Klaus refused to give in and kneeled on the floor. "I really need your help, Caroline."

"Then I shall pray for you." She fired back.

"Caroline…please." He sighed and rubbed at his forehead in thought. "I'm not asking you to spend time with me because you want to; all I'm asking you to help me run lines. If you don't, then I might be terrible on the opening night and ruin the play for everyone else, including your good friend, Bonnie." She wisely ignored the bait. "For God's sake, are you too bloody proud to help me?"

She finally looked up, raising an eyebrow. "And what makes you so sure you deserve my help?"

"I don't." Klaus replied quickly. "But I know everyone in the drama team is working really hard to learn their lines and the production team have put a lot of hard work into the sets." He painted an innocent expression onto his face. "And Miss Branson and Bonnie deserve the best possible result, I'm sure you'll agree?" He added slyly.

Caroline blinked once, never taking her eyes of the page. "And there is no one else you can practise with?"

"No one better than you." He said smoothly.

She looked up at that, her narrowed eyes flicking from the book to his watchful gaze. She looked away, as if searching for help, and then sighed. "Very well. You win. But I'm only doing this for Bonnie and the others, not because you asked so nicely." Caroline stated, folding her arms into her lap. "I'll see you in an hour at my house; 4 0'clock, sharp." With that, she brushed her gaze across his for a few more moments before propping the book back under her nose, the conversation clearly over.

He pushed his feet back to standing and grinned down at the blonde. "Thank you, Caroline." Klaus knew she wouldn't do it for him but she'd do it for her friends and the others helping out. He felt a bit guilty for using her kindness against her but he was certain that Caroline didn't mind too badly otherwise she would've fought more against the idea.

With a smile, the victorious boy began walking towards the staircase to leave.

"Oh, and Klaus?"

He turned around and saw the blonde staring at him from her corner. "Yes, Caroline?"

"You have to promise me something."

Now it was his turn to raise an eyebrow. "Do tell."

Klaus looked at Caroline and waited. She was staring at him intently, as if her next sentence would be something worth listening to and remembering word for word. She didn't blink or blush, nor did she smile or frown, but she met his eyes purposefully and intentionally. The wait was climatic.

"You have to promise that you won't fall in love with me." She whispered, so softly that Klaus almost didn't here.

Almost.

It took him a few seconds to process her words then another few seconds to reply. Caroline's request was so bizarre and unexpected that it had completely thrown him off his game. What was he supposed to say to that? His first thought was to scoff. And his second was to turn and away walk away and pretend he hadn't heard it.

He swallowed. "Very well, little bookworm."

"I'll see you later then."

It wasn't in written in his plans to do so, so the reply came naturally and honestly to Klaus. What he couldn't understand was why Caroline had requested it. Coming from anyone else, the statement would've been deemed arrogant but the blonde was anything but that. Perhaps she wanted to enjoy the look of surprise on his face. If that was the case, she had surprised him well and truly. Klaus left Caroline in the library and walked down the corridors in a newfound state of confusion.

"Hey, Mikaelsen!"

Klaus spun around at his name.

Jogging quickly towards him was Mr Tanner. The physical educations teacher was in his late 30s with dark hair, a muscular frame and a sharp tongue but Klaus respected his teachings. He caught up with him a few seconds later and stopped to ask, "So, there's a new opening on the track team, and I know you've been running pretty well with Stefan lately so what do you say? Up for a little team spirit? It'll look great on your record." The teacher added. "It seems that Matt won't be joining us for the rest of the year."

"No." Klaus rushed out. Mr Tanner frowned at his response so he explained. "Uh…no, that doesn't seem fair, sir. I know that Matt definitely wants to be up and running as soon as possible, and I visited him a few days ago. His doctors say that he's almost physically recovered. All I'm saying is find a temporary replacement, that's all."

The teacher blinked in surprise but thought for a moment. "I see your point, Mikaelsen. Very well. I'll give Donavan another month, but that's it." He warned. "Until then, how about you hold his position down in the team. Consider it a favour to him. All you're doing is taking over for him, until he returns."

Klaus nodded. "I can do that."

"Excellent!" The teacher grinned. "Track meets are every Tuesday and Wednesday, and we have races every two weeks on Fridays. You'll only be covering for two races, one home and one away. Matt will be really thankful of it, I'm sure."

"It's the least I can do for a friend." Klaus lied smoothly. It _was_ the least he could do for Matt, but for a complete different reason. He had landed him in hospital. He had injured the boy, so really it was only fair that he covered his position. In a way, it was more proof regarding the actions-consequences cycle.

He bid the teacher goodbye and left for home.

* * *

Caroline Forbes and her father's home was located in the final house on Ayrlee Avenue, about half a mile from the school in the opposite direction of Klaus' home. The building was of American Foursquare design with white and grey walls and a wide set of stairs leading up to a porch area with a swing seat. It was by no means large, but Klaus found its homey feel appealing, not constricting. It suited the blonde rather well. Both were sweet, easy on the eye, but not for everyone. Klaus smirked at his own analysis.

He observed the small flowerbeds growing outside as he reached the door and knocked once. He waited a moment. The sun was beating down and he had swapped his usual jacket for a short-sleeved V-neck. He felt rather naked and vulnerable without the usual sleeves and his fingers pulled at absent material.

"Good afternoon, Klaus."

He looked up and saw Bill Forbes standing in the doorway. Another man stood a few feet behind the reverend. "Good afternoon, sir."

"Caroline informed me about your practise together, come in and I'll let her know you're here." He took a step back and allowed Klaus to enter the house. "Oh, Steven was just leaving but I believe the two of you have already met before." As he stepped around Bill, Klaus looked across at the other man and recognised him as the officer who had caught him at the warehouse. He was also the man he had recognised in church. Klaus nodded once. Bill excused himself and disappeared up the stairs to find his daughter. Silent, Steven looked at him and he began to shift under the officer's gaze.

"How did you know my name that night?"

Steven looked taken aback at his bluntness. "It's a long story."

"I know you were an old friend of Elizabeth Forbes, and I know that you recently moved in across the road from Stefan Salvatore but neither explain how you knew my name." Klaus narrowed his eyes. "And you've only just moved back to town so I doubt you've seen me before. It doesn't make sense." Steven folded his arms across his chest defensively but said nothing. "The only explanation I can think of is that you know my mother from way back when she lived here growing up or…"

Klaus blinked.

"-your father, Mikael." Steven finished. "Yes, I knew your father. Or…used to."

He waited for the officer to continue.

Steven checked that Bill was still upstairs before beginning. "I was on the force with Elizabeth for five years. She was a great friend of mine, Bill too. And then Elizabeth passed away." He paused sadly. "It felt too strange without her as my partner on the field, so when a special force opportunity came up in Massachusetts, I took it willingly. I left Mystic Falls and transferred within days. I had to leave for a little while and it seemed like the best thing to do to clear my head and grieve on my own time."

"And you met Mikael how…?" Klaus prompted.

Steven replied with a question of his own. "How much did your father tell you about his work?"

Klaus considered this. His father had never given away too much information about his area of work but he had asked them not to press the issue. Elijah had known in detail though. Klaus could tell. His older brother never spoke of it but Klaus knew that Elijah was entrusted with details by their father. Klaus and Rebekah had been kept in the dark however. All that Esther had said was "Your father works for special ops. He can't reveal too much about what he does though, for our sake." It was one of the things that made Mikael the militarily structured man he was today.

"I know he worked in Special Forces."

Steven nodded. "I can't reveal too much but you're right. Mikael worked for the Special Activities Division in a team that worked under high-priority missions. I, along with four others, was sent in as part of a collaboration exercise to train general officers such as myself and for your father's team to develop further skills." He quickly broke off. "I've already said too much, but you've already proven to be an intelligent young man so I trust you to keep this to yourself." Klaus nodded and Steven added, "I worked closely with Mikael for those two years and he told me all about his children."

"And he showed you photographs?"

"Only one; a professional family portrait photo, but it was done a while back."

Klaus gave a short nod. "I remember." Mikael had taken them all to an expensive contemporary American photographer and had the picture hung up on the wall of the old house for all to see. He hadn't known that Mikael had smaller copies as well but he must've done if Steven had seen it.

"So you recognised me-"

"Forgive us, father and I were talking. Are you ready to run lines now?"

Startled, Klaus quickly silenced when he noticed that Bill had reappeared with Caroline on the stairs. The blonde narrowed her blue eyes at him, then at Steven. The officer seemed oblivious and held his hand out to Bill in good nature. "It was wonderful to catch up again. I hope to see you soon." He said with a smile. "Best wishes, Caroline." The officer added and she smiled widely at him.

Bill shook it tightly. "Likewise. May God be with you, my friend."

And with that, Steven left and Bill retreated into the house, leaving Klaus standing on the porch alone again. His mind was still lingering on Steven's confession. Why hadn't Elijah entrusted Klaus and Rebekah with this? Surely they had a right to know why their father was rarely home. He wondered whether Esther had known and whether it had been another factor affecting their marriage. He disliked secrets. They create distance between people and were never any good at all.

"Klaus?"

He broke away from his thoughts. "Sorry."

Caroline tilted her head at him like a prying kitten. "Are you ready to practise?"

"Lead the way."

A few moments later and Klaus found himself in Caroline's room, sitting crossed-legged on the lilac carpet in front of her. The room was a simple rectangle containing a purple-and-white theme with a Queen sized bed and elegant wardrobe and drawers. The atmosphere was warm and comfortable and Klaus felt relaxed at once. The blonde had left the door open, declaring that her father would see red if she closed it with a boy inside. Klaus chuckled at that. He just couldn't picture Bill Forbes angry.

"Oh, believe me; he can have quite the temper."

Klaus shook his head adamantly. "I find that somewhat hard to believe."

"Well, you don't know him." The blonde retorted.

He held up both hands in defeat.

"So, where would you like to start? From the beginning?" She asked, timid again. "Or are there certain scenes you're struggling with?"

"Let's give it a read through and see how we get on. I just haven't had a lot of time to practise, what with all the school assignments and track practise too." Klaus pulled at his sleeves again. "And it doesn't help when the only friend who offers to help you is pretty damn busy as well." He cleared his throat, realising he'd gone off track once again.

Caroline didn't look up. "You ever think about choosing your friends more carefully next time?"

"Recently, yes."

"Hm."

"So," He cleared his throat and opened the script up to the first page. He began to read the narration. "The year is 1941, and the war rages on. Spirits are high with music and pride and a dashing young man, Tommy Thornton, has just opened a blues club on Bourbon Street. Enter; Tommy and his girlfriend, Beth…"

An hour and a half later and the pair had run through the play thoughroughly. Klaus felt much more confident practising with someone who was equally determined and the two worked together comfortably. He almost found it enjoyable. Although he would never admit it out loud unless he was being held under gun point. But time with Caroline seemed to flow quickly whether they were simply talking, rehearsing or even arguing. It was strange. Klaus had never felt so at home so easily before.

As he watched Caroline begin to tidy away the pages strewn across the floor, Klaus said, "Mr Tanner offered me Matt's spot on the track team."

She froze. "What?!" Her eyes were wild and avenging. She balled her dainty hands into fists as her cheeks flushed with heat. "I cannot believe you! First, you make him jump from an abandoned swimming pool which resulted in serious injury. Then, you take away his football career and now you're going to take his spot on the track team!" She threw her hands in the air. I can't…get out of my room, Klaus."

"Whoa, Caroline…you didn't let me finish. Give me a minute to explain here." Klaus closed the distance between them and reached out to the blonde. She flinched but didn't pull away. "I said yes-" Caroline began to pull away so he held her hands in his own, pleadingly. "I only said yes to save his spot!" She frowned so he hurriedly rushed on. "Mr Tanner was going to kick him off the team completely but I bargained with him not to. I visited Matt last week and he's going to be out of the hospital soon. I got him another month and in the meantime I'll temporarily cover for him. It was the best thing I could do." He rubbed at the nape of his neck, distressed. "I swear…I didn't mean to…"

"To what?" She snapped. "You didn't mean to what, Klaus?"

"I didn't mean to hurt Matt!" He cried. "Well…I did. But I shouldn't have!" He backtracked when Caroline shook her head. "I swear, if I could go back then I would, but I can't. Caroline, please." He looked at her with sad eyes. "What I did was wrong, you were right. Horrible, even. I was bored, idiotic and downright imbecilic. But I'm trying my best now, don't you see? I'm trying. I really am. I don't know why but I am. Perhaps I'm realising that my actions have consequences, I don't know but what I _do_ know is that I made a mistake."

He clamped his mouth shut. He'd already said far too much so he stayed silent and waited for Caroline's move.

The blonde stood still for a few moments. Her cheeks were still flushed but her wild eyes had softened. A faint smile pulled at her lips. "Klaus Mikaelsen is admitting a mistake?"

"Don't push your luck, love."

She let out a little giggle and he laughed too, relieved. Nothing in particular was funny but the tension was gone and Klaus was grateful. Although another type of tension was building. Realising how close they were standing, Klaus was about to take a step back when he noticed something. Caroline had a small cluster of light freckles underneath her eyes. It wasn't worthwhile but it surprised him that he'd never noticed before. He reached a hand out to touch them, his fingertips brushing across the blonde's skin. He smirked when her breathing hitched. She was surprisingly warm and soft and Klaus grazed his fingers across each freckle, counting as he did.

"21." He murmured huskily.

Caroline didn't move an inch. "W-what?"

"You have 21 freckles."

"That's…good to know?"

"Indeed." His smirk grew into a smile.

Suddenly, like an elastic band, the pair snapped out of their moment. Klaus pulled his hand away quickly as if touching fire. They hovered in the air, unsure, until he dropped them to his sides. What the hell had just happened? One second they were screaming and yelling at each other and then the next they were inches away, trapped in an intimate stare. What Klaus had felt with Caroline was electric. It was intense and consuming and it scared him to death. It was dangerous.

"Is everything okay up here?"

The pair jumped away from each other as Bill appeared in the open doorway. His eyes narrowed at the scene but all he said was, "I heard shouting." His gaze softened at his daughter but hardened slightly at Klaus. Protectively, he stood a little taller as he sized the other boy up. "Why don't you both come and practise downstairs." He said it as a statement, not a suggestion.

"Dad, it's okay!" Caroline protested. "Honestly, we were just rehearsing."

_Nicely played, little bookworm. _

"My apologies, sir." Klaus added smoothly. "I was the one who suggested giving it a little more impact."

Bill eyed them suspiciously for a few seconds. "If you're sure…"

"Very."

"It's okay. We're fine, dad."

Finally deciding that world war three was indeed not going to break out anytime soon, Caroline's father slowly relaxed and left the room. Klaus wasn't sure whether to be relieved or to follow him down the stairs. He knew Bill wasn't the threatening kind but he didn't want to anger or upset the man. He respected his authority too much. But there was more to it than that. He didn't want to make Caroline uncomfortable either. She had been kind enough to invite him over and all he had done was invade her personal space.

"Do you want me to leave?" He asked gently.

Caroline swallowed and stared up at him. She was by no means petite, but in that moment, as she looked up at Klaus, she looked like a dainty creature peering into the great unknown. And he was the woodsman who would scoop her into his arms and protect and care for her. Caroline had so many different vibes. She was kind and innocent, and then in the next moment; fierce and determined. It showed great strength in character. To be comfortable expressing emotion was something Klaus found difficult but the blonde made it so damn easy. And he too found it easier whenever he was around her.

She whispered in reply, "We can run through it one more time…if you want to?"

"I'd like that, Caroline."

* * *

The opening night was in two weeks' time and Klaus felt strangely prepared as rehearsals began.

He and Caroline had come to an unspoken truce, running lines together after school whenever they had free time. Sometimes he even met up with her in the library. They shared the blonde's usual cushion seat in the corner, re-reading lines and occasionally chatting. He found out that Matt was out of the hospital and would be returning to school the next week. His ribs had healed and his place on the football team and track team was being negotiated. Things were looking up, Caroline had said. Klaus also found out from Stefan that even if Matt didn't play this year, he would be able to play for a college team as his record was almost perfect. Caroline hadn't spoken about the issue again but Klaus felt the coldness towards him slowly fading.

Due to the time spent rehearsing, Klaus hadn't seen much of his group of friends. He and Stefan still ran track together but he hadn't had a conversation with Damon, Elena or Hayley in a long time. He knew they were still skipping classes and insulting passer bys so not much was new. Yet he felt strangely at peace with that. Esther had even allowed her son to have his Henley back. Things were improving steadily. One day after school, Klaus spotted Hayley sitting on the concrete slab outside the building, waiting. Damon and Elena were nowhere to be seen and she looked bored.

"Do you need a ride home?" Klaus offered for old time's sake.

Hayley glanced up at him, her usual smirk curving into a sincere smile. "That would be great, thanks."

He offered her the only helmet and helped the brunette to climb onto the bike. When her arms were safely wrapped around his torso, Klaus revved the Henley and left the school behind in a wave of dust. He ignored the urge to remove her hands and focused on the road. They arrived at the Maxwell's house a few miles away and Klaus offered her a goodbye before preparing to leave.

"Thanks for the lift." She ran a hand along his arm. Her dark eyes were innocent but the gesture suggested otherwise. "Unless you want to come inside…like before?"

"No."

Hayley eyebrows rose. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes."

"My parents aren't home..." She continued playfully.

Klaus pushed the brunette away and lowered his voice to a hiss. "Thank you, love, but for the last time..._no_."

"Fine, I get it!" Hayley snapped; her hand dropping to her side. "Jesus, what the hell happened to you? You used to be fun. " She spun around, hair flying out behind her, and strode up the pathway to the house. Without a glance backwards, she flung the door shut behind her. The slam echoed loudly but Klaus didn't even register the sound.

Hayley was right.

Something was definitely different with him. Normally he would take up her offer and fool around. But not today. Why not? Klaus didn't know. He did know that it wouldn't have felt right to accept the offer. The moment she asked, an uncomfortable sensation had begun to tingle through his nerves like a loose wire. It wasn't that he didn't find the brunette attractive, nor did he not suddenly disapprove of casual sex, but although the idea would have pleased him before, this time it appalled him.

Something _had_ begun to change him, but what?

Or…who?

* * *

**Thank you for all the reviews, I really am so grateful for all your support!**

**Keep them coming! ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So, I hit 100+ followers on this story the other week and I am incredibly grateful for all the support from you all!**

**This chapter is going to have its ups and downs but will have a lot of turning points and a lot of Klaroline development.**

**Enjoy, and review if you can!**

**Come find me on tumblr at 'xklarolinexdreamsx'**

* * *

"So, am I ever going to be invited around to the Mikaelsen family home?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Klaus looked over at Caroline, the pair of them seated in their usual positions on the carpet in her room. The blonde cast a daring look at him before looking down at her notes. He paused. She had a right to ask after all. They'd been practising for two weeks now and the play was in eight days' time. But they'd only practised at Caroline's house, never his. Klaus hadn't thought about his reasons for not asking her until now. Maybe he didn't want her snooping around. _No, it isn't that,_ Klaus thought. He felt rather amused by the idea of Caroline making deductions about his life just from the colour of his room. It was actually the worry that Caroline might make an accurate reading of him, like she had done before. And he didn't want the blonde knowing about his dysfunctional family. Not yet.

"I mean, don't misunderstand me," Caroline rushed out in a hurry at his pause. "It's not that you've outstayed your welcome here. You'll always be welcome in my home, Klaus. Well…unless you turn into a deranged serial killer or…or… try and sell me drugs to pay off a debt!" She looked panicked. "You're not…going to sell me drugs are you?"

He grinned at her embarrassment. "I don't plan on it."

"Well then, in that case you're always welcome." She said before wagging a finger at him. "But no drugs, okay?" She warned.

"No drugs." He agreed.

"Well forgive me for being persistent but is there a reason why we can't practise around your house? I love mine to pieces, but it would be nice to have a change of scenery." She admitted. "Besides, I'm curious. What lies inside the home of the big, bad Klaus Mikaelsen?"

Klaus couldn't hide his grimace and the blonde noticed.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Not exactly." He murmured. Caroline looked puzzled at that. "It's just that…Damon used to call me by a similar name." He explained.

She frowned at his words. "And you didn't like it?"

"I didn't like him, to be honest." Klaus shrugged. "It was just an annoying nickname."

"Why do you hang around with him then?"

The blonde had a point. Frequently, Klaus asked himself why he hung out with the elder Salvatore. When he arrived at Mystic Falls after moving from Massachusetts, Stefan had been the one to show him the ropes. Sticking with Stefan seemed logical and from there, he begun merging with the others. Including Damon. He'd never been Damon's number one fan and he had no doubt that the feeling was mutual. But Klaus was confident and Damon recognised this from the start and strayed from conflict.

"To be honest with you, I have no idea, love."

"I hate it when you call me that." Caroline murmured, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. "It makes me sound like one of your…"

He raised an eyebrow. "One of my…?"

The blonde couldn't meet his gaze; embarrassed as she replied, "It makes me sound like another one of your conquests."

Klaus let a chuckle escape. He couldn't help it. However, the fact that Caroline had considered him thinking of her in that way made him strangely sad. He didn't want their friendship, or whatever relationship was becoming, to be misunderstood. Though the idea of the blonde losing sleep over his apparent advances amused Klaus to no end.

"You think I have a long list of women somewhere in my room, don't you?" He teased. ""Forgive me, Caroline but…I do not plan on sleeping with you." Klaus noted that he sounded cold so he added, "Unless you want me to?" He winked brazenly and the blonde's eyes widened.

Caroline gasped. "No!"

"Then it would seem we're in an understanding."

Caroline's head bobbed in agreement. She cleared her throat, shrugging off the conversation, and shook the script. "Back to rehearsals then?"

He hid a smile. "As you wish."

Their conversations were usually always playful and fairly warm now. They talked about school work, the upcoming play and occasionally, likes and dislikes. Klaus learnt one practise session that Caroline loved stars and planets but hated the ocean. When he asked her why, she had answered, "There are so many different stars and planets, and none are the same, did you know? They're all unique, like us. We can count and observe them but we have no need to fear them."

"Unless they burn up the Earth." Klaus pointed out with a teasing smirk.

The blonde nodded. "Yes, but they can be predicted." She counteracted. "But the ocean…it's too vast and unpredictable. Weather reporters and scientists can attempt to foresee patterns and ideas but in the end, things can change so quickly. A sudden storm can cause a worldwide change in the wave; a sudden temperature change can wipe out creatures in a few months." She shrugged. "I just don't like it. I don't mind things behind unpredictable you see, but the ocean is one danger I'd like to put as much distance between us."

Klaus replied softly, "There's definitely only of you, Caroline."

"Is that a compliment?"

"We'll see."

"Let me know when you've figured it out, then." She smiled widely. "Now stop distracting me and let's get back to practising!"

As he watched Caroline beam at him, he felt a grin of his own matching hers. Ever since Matt had returned to school fully recovered, she seemed to have forgiven him. The footballer had even smiled at Klaus as they passed in the corridors. One day, the blonde boy caught up with him on the track and said, "I just wanted to say something, Klaus. I spoke to Caroline and she also told me you regret your actions. Like I said before, I doubt we'll ever be friends but…I appreciate your apology."

After that, Klaus had felt some of the guilt slide away.

He knew things would never be perfect between them but he knew that Matt had forgiven him, or was on his way to doing so. It made Klaus question just how forgiving others could be. It seemed that, of late, people like Caroline and Matt had been teaching him lessons, one after the other. The quiet blonde taught him about strength in kindness and the footballer taught him about forgiveness and moving on. It made Klaus think about his family too. If Esther had it in her to forgive Mikael and her children, surely Klaus could too. They were right. Life _was_ too short to hold grudges. Matt had proved that.

Klaus was also no longer part of his old group of friends. In a matter of weeks, they had parted ways. Damon and Elena looked the other way, and even Hayley turned her nose up as he walked alone or with Stefan. He didn't have time for them anymore. And if he did, Klaus didn't want to be around them. Before, they had been used for boredom. But now Klaus had track meetings, drama meetings and tutor sessions to keep him occupied. His admiration for students who had always worked this hard went up by one hundred and ten percent.

One day after track, Klaus and Stefan walked up to his locker together. "Damon was mouthing off about you yesterday."

He looked at the other boy plainly. "Am I supposed to care?"

"Not at all." His friend's lips twitched.

"He said he was awaiting an announcement for your engagement to Caroline Forbes."

Klaus stopped on the spot and flashed Stefan a deadly look. "He said _what_?"

Backtracking, the other boy noticed his friend's expression and frowned. "Well…he was only teasing, you know how he is-"

"Don't defend him." Klaus snapped. They began walking towards Stefan's locker a few feet away. "Forgive me but I don't bloody care if he's your brother. Humour me. What did he say?"

He didn't know why it rattled him. It was a combination of anger directed at the ignorance of Damon and his hatred for being talked about. It was a bitchy, insolent thing to do and reminded him of all the teacher conferences Esther and Mikael had attended behind his back at his previous schools.

The pair stopped at the other boy's locker and Klaus waited as his friend pilled his sports bags into the space. Under his gaze, Stefan sighed. "Fine," He slammed the door and turned to Klaus. "Damon was talking trash that you're dating Caroline. Elena and Hayley have been spreading it around the school like the petty gossips they are." He noticed his friend's face clouded with anger and added, "I wouldn't take any notice, mate; they're just pissed off that you left and Damon's just trying to flare your temper."

"Well, it's bloody working!" Klaus snapped angrily. His pet hate was gossip and being the centre of it was like a nightmare becoming true. "Can't everybody just mind their own damn business? I am _not_ dating Caroline Forbes!" He hissed, and punched his fist into the nearest locker. "I would never date such a nosey, argumentative bookworm. She fires me up in all the wrong ways and the only reason I'm even hanging out with her is to practise lines. After the drama club performances are over, that's it. Goodbye, blondie." He couldn't stop, his words running away with his anger. "She's the last person I'd ever date. It's not like I have people lining up to rehearse with me and besides, she was the easiest to persuade."

It wasn't a complete lie. After all, Caroline _had_ been easy to persuade but he was also intrigued by her as well. Though his current state of fury and pride was overtaking his goal to get to know the blonde. So, instead, he spurted out as many vicious words as he could; eager to relieve the anger.

"Uh, Klaus…"

He ignored Stefan and fired on. Riled up, he pumped all of his negative emotions at being gossiped over into Caroline. It wasn't her fault, but he wasn't thinking clearly. He had a sinking feeling he'd regret it later. "I mean, who in their right mind would date her anyway? If anything, I'd shag her once and leave her, just like every other girl." He smirked wickedly at his friend. "That's the best way, isn't it mate?"

In some way, he felt he was trying to convince himself. Klaus was about to make up more excuses to separate himself and the blonde when a familiar voice interrupted his speech. But this voice was hurt, shocked and bubbling with the owner's own anger that matched his with the same degree of burning words.

"Thank you for clearing that up for me."

Her voice was so angry and hurt it was calm. The sort of eerie calm before the storm, waiting for the moment of crushing thunder and fierce lightning to start tumbling down from the sky. He looked at her, the colour draining from both their faces. His; pale with surprise and regret, hers; pale with anger and shock.

Klaus took a step forwards. "Caroline…"

"Don't you _dar_e_!_" She threw up her hands in a jerking motion. As if triggering her anger, Caroline's face blossomed into a violent pink and her eyes welled with unshed tears. "I thought we were…friends." His stomach churned painfully as Caroline choked. Her jaw dropped open, and then closed before opening once again. "I cannot _believe_ you! Well, actually I can. I should've expected no less from you. You're still the same arrogant, cigarette-smoking jerk that you've been since kindergarten." She was yelling now, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Caroline-" He desperately tried again.

"I can't believe how stupid I am!" She cut him off with a cry of anguish. "I thought you were someone else, not the person I thought you were. Actually, do you know how I feel? I feel like you set me up. You set me up as a…as…a stereotypical cliché. Well that was my mistake but don't worry, I swear to you that I won't make the same one again." Caroline paused, her voice quietening with sadness, "Thank you for proving my point that people cannot change. You certainly can't. No matter how hard you try, in the end, your true nature always wins." Her chest heaved up and down. Tell me I'm wrong, Klaus. Go on, lie to me."

He could barely breathe let alone reply.

"That's what I thought." She whispered sadly. The anger had faded quickly, replaced by a glazed-over sadness in her usually bright eyes. "Please don't come around to my house again. Your invitation has been revoked. I'll see you at drama rehearsals, but after that please don't speak to me. _Please_." Her lower lip trembled. ", Klaus…if you respect my wishes at all then please, I beg you, leave me alone. I hope one day you find someone who shares the same spiteful tongue as you. But I do not. I won't have my self-worth be taken away by you. May God be with you."

And with that, she turned around and fled the school, her blonde hair flying across her shoulder. Klaus watched her leave, feet rooted to the ground. Numbness spread through him. He was distantly aware that Stefan was still standing behind him, but he didn't care. His heart had been thudding loudly the moment he saw Caroline standing a few feet away. Though now it was barely audible. It was as if she had reached inside his chest, tore it out and marched off with it as punishment. The one thing that ate at his insides was the knowledge that every word of what the blonde had heard was false. Why had he even said it? Because he was angry. It was that simple. And he had reached out and snapped at the nearest person within his grasp; Caroline. It was not her fault that Damon and his so-called friends had chosen her to get to him but that hadn't mattered. There was no way that she was ever going to speak to him after this. He had lost her for good. Any chance of their friendship turning into something else was beyond thought. No person in their right mind would want to. And Caroline was headstrong, she was most likely throwing darts at a photograph by now, no doubt. Even Klaus felt disgusted by his words, looking back.

He felt physically sick. "What the hell did I say?"

"Don't worry." Quietly, Stefan stepped closer and looped an arm over his shoulder. "Give it some time, she'll forgive you, buddy."

Klaus pushed down the anger this time. He knew Stefan was trying to help. What was the use in upsetting more people? "I doubt it. Didn't you hear what I just said? Who in their right mind would forgive that?" He considered shrugging his friend's arm off but welcomed the comfort instead. "I accept the consequences for my actions." He began quietly. "I snapped at her, and she has every right to hate me-"

"She doesn't hate you." The other boy shook his head. "Otherwise she wouldn't have become so hurt. Didn't you see her face?" Stefan prompted. "No one gets that upset over someone unimportant. She cares about you, Klaus. And I know you care about her. I've never seen you two together but I've never seen someone affect you so badly." His friend explained carefully, as if not to upset him. "So, for once, screw the rules you live by and screw anyone else that says it's wrong. If you really want Caroline to see that you're sorry then fight for the damn girl. It's the same with anything, and anyone. Fight for them; show them how much you need them. Be selfish for once. Don't let them get away without a fight."

It was then that Klaus looked at his friend and noticed his expression. Stefan was staring off into the distance, barely taking notice of his own words.

"Is there something I don't know about?"

"Hmm?"

Stefan tore his eyes away from the empty hallway and looked down at the floor. He avoided Klaus' watchful gaze and replied, "It's nothing. I was just…never mind. You've got bigger problems than I do." He nodded to where Caroline had been standing. He looked like he wanted to say more but was afraid.

"I'm sorry." Klaus felt renewed guilt rising. "I know I've been talking about my issues lately but, talk to me." He gave him a nudge, a sign to talk. "What's going on, Stefan?"

The other boy said nothing but began walking towards the main exit. Klaus followed him, keeping up with his long stride. He remained silent, prompting Stefan to speak up about his problems. Klaus realised that the younger Salvatore brother might be having issues as well, and Klaus had been selfish and ignored him for days, their conversations revolving around Caroline. Finally, his friend answered, "It's…Elena…"

Klaus looked surprised. "This is about your brother's girlfriend?"

"Yeah, it is." Stefan rubbed at the nape of his neck. "She and I have been…talking."

He'd heard _that_ before. "I'm not an idiot, Stefan so just tell me what's been going on." He smirked. "I promise not to judge. "

Stefan shook his head quickly. "No!" He stated clearly. "It's not what you're thinking. Honestly, it isn't. But recently...she and I have been hanging out together. Her mother, Isobel, bought a couple of paintings from one of my mother's gallery nights and they became friends. Elena came round with Isobel a couple of times and…well, we've never really been alone together but it was…nice talking with her away from Damon." He looked away. "Nothing else happened, I swear. But I do like her, Klaus. And I know she likes me too but she's scared of hurting Damon's feelings. We've never said anything outright but every time I see her with my brother I just feel like stealing her away."

"Are you going to tell Damon you have feelings for his girl?"

"I want to. I really do."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"Because you know me, Klaus," Stefan explained. "I'm not that guy, the one who swoops in and steal someone else's girl. I vowed never to do that. And besides, every time I try to bring up my feelings, Elena begs me not to. She says it makes her feel guilty and that she's in love with Damon. But I know she has feelings for me, I know it. I'm not selfish, Klaus, but what is Elena is supposed to be with me? Am I just supposed to sit back and let her go? Or should I try and get what I want but risk the chance of hurting someone else?" He sighed again. "I wish it was simple."

Klaus looked at him carefully. "You know I can't answer that, don't you?"

"I know."

"If I could, then I would." Klaus added unhelpfully.

Stefan gave a small smile. "I know that also." His smile grew. "It looks as if we've both majorly screwed up."

The two boys came to the school's entrance and paused to say goodbye. Klaus wasn't sure what to say about concluding Stefan's confession so he leaned in and patted his friend on the shoulder. He wasn't good with emotion but he knew when comfort was needed.

"We'll be screw ups together." He told Stefan humorously.

Returning the hug, Stefan then pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Klaus grinned back. "Oh, be quiet."

"Not a chance."

They spoke for a few more minutes before saying goodbye and parting ways. Stefan was off to think over his situation and Klaus; his own. He couldn't bear to think about Caroline for much longer. Both his head and heart were pounding with regret. Klaus had always observed his faults with pride, until now. Keeping others at bay was easy; simply ignore their emotional responses and act like nothing they do affects you. He'd become an expert the longer and louder Mikael had shouted down at him for. After a while, it became easy to keep a vacant expression on at all times. It was, now, part of who Klaus was, and where his need for control had been brought about.

_Never again will I be subjected to others._

That was the thought usually defying his actions. But the only thought whirling through his mind was, in fact, a picture; a certain image in freeze-frame. To be specific; Caroline's face. The expression she had worn when he first realised she had heard every word of his awful, bitter-fuelled speech. Her eyes had been a mixture of fire and tears but there was something else. She looked…through him; like she hadn't expected anything less of him. And Klaus hated that. He also hated that he hated that but his thoughts consumed him.

_There must be some way to make it up to her._ He thought, almost pleadingly. _How does one ask for forgiveness from another?_

The rest of the afternoon consisted of Klaus pacing around his room, the house, and the garden; earphones stuck in his ears, bleeding classical rock through his blood. By the time Esther and he sat down for their usual eight o'clock dinner, he was more than restless.

"Are you feeling alright, sweetie?"

Klaus stopped tapping his foot and looked up to see a very worried Esther. His mother only ever called him 'sweetie' or 'love' when she was truly anxious.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just…thinking."

Esther nodded and quietly replied, "If there's something on your mind, you can talk to me…"

"No," He said quickly, and then noticing his mother's hurt expression, he added, "Sorry, no thank you. I'd rather tackle this alone."

"I understand."

There was a pause until Esther added, "Why don't you pick up a paintbrush like you used to?" Klaus said nothing and continued to eat as he listened to his mother. "Whenever you used to have a rough day, or get into an argument with anyone, you would look yourself in the studio for hours on end. It was hard at first not to interrupt and see if you were okay but I soon realised it was your way of…dealing." She smiled. "But you haven't painted since we moved though. You have such an extraordinary talent, Klaus. It would be a shame if you let that go to waste."

Klaus smiled at both the memory of painting and Esther's fond words. "Thank you." He said softly. He paused for a moment before gathering up Esther's and his own plate and rinsing them in the sink before loading them into the dishwasher. "I might go for a drive with my easel, then. If I can find all my old things, that is. I cannot even remember packing them…"

"I did." Esther admitted. "They'll all still be packed up in my room. They're under the bed; all the brushes, the canvases, and the paints."

"You always know just what I need, thank you." He smiled gratefully, and leaned across to kiss his mother's cheek before heading off into Esther's room. Just as his mother had said, he found all his old art supplies wrapped in bubble wrap and brown paper neatly stacked in three brown cardboard boxes, still with the moving tags tied on. As he lifted the dusty brushes out of their cases, Klaus felt his mood begin to lift already. Half an hour later and he was packed and ready to rediscover his artistic talents, the supplies carefully packed into a large black rucksack along with an A3 canvas.

He paused at the front door. The clock read ten thirty as he called out, "I'll be back later."

"Take your time, Klaus," Esther called back. "Just try and be home before midnight. We don't want you turning into a pumpkin!"

Shaking his head at his mother's bad joke, Klaus closed the door behind him and started up the Henley. He made sure the bag was tightened before kicking off the curb and following the road out into the evening. He didn't have a destination in mind but he was hoping that something would catch his eye sooner or later. Klaus drove past the school and the large shopping centre near town before beginning to swerve down smaller avenues and lanes heading in the opposite direction. A few minutes later, he drove past the cemetery and a flash of blonde hair almost caused Klaus to lose control of the bike and crash.

_Do my eyes deceive me?_

As if answering his question, the girl behind the gate paused to look behind her and her face was clear under the rising moonlight. It _was_ Caroline. Like him, the blonde also carried a large rucksack but hers was longer and slimmer and ran from her shoulders almost down to her knees. She looked peaceful under the light, her eyes soft and her expression calm as she closed the iron gate and walked on.

"Why on Earth is she going in there…?" Klaus murmured under his breath.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he left his motorcycle in the small parking space and taking his supplies with him, Klaus followed Caroline into the graveyard. She was surprisingly quick on her feet and Klaus had to quicken his stride to catch up with her. Before he could consider how to approach her, he found himself calling out, "Hey!"

The blonde spun around on the spot. Her eyes widened before narrowing. "Oh." – was all she said.

"Uh…"

Klaus didn't even know where to begin. His first thought had been to apologise. Whilst he did have a rather huge pride, he also knew when a man must lower that pride in order to seek forgiveness. Klaus considered himself to be rather old-fashioned in that sense. But for some reason, no words sprang to his mind. No sign of grovelling either. Instead, he frowned and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Mirroring his frown, Caroline played with the dangling straps on her backpack. She stared at him blankly. "I could ask you the same question."

He should be feeling guilty but now he was beginning to get annoyed, already. There it was again. That something that always made whatever Caroline did or say consume him. "Well, do you come out in the middle of night?" Klaus smirked and gestured around. "Do you sing to all the injured animals?" He teased. "Oh no, wait…do they help you with your homework, is that why you're so smart?"

Caroline folded her arms across her chest. "Are you finished?"

"For now."

"Good." She muttered with a sigh. "So…do _you_ sing to animals?"

Klaus half-scoffed, half-chuckled, "What? No."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I do believe I asked you first."

Caroline almost growled. "What are you, five?!"

"Okay, okay!" Klaus grinned and held his hands up in surrender. "I'm just out…painting. That's all." He nodded at her bag. "What about you?"

The blonde looked at him carefully and was about to answer but then she shut her mouth quickly, deciding against it. She gave a small smile and flashed a torch light in his direction as she turned. "Come and see." She turned around again and began walking through the public pathway between the graves until they came to a large, open space. Only a small handful of trees were scattered around the clearing, allowing for the stars to shine across the night sky like newly polished coins.

A few steps ahead of him, Caroline stopped and dropped her bag to the floor. When he caught up, Klaus noticed the blonde standing in front of a large cylinder object directed upwards. He took a step closer to get a better view as he finally realised what the object was. The telescope was dark grey in colour and about a foot wide in diameter, rooted to the ground by a supporting stand. A few odd parts and shapes poked off in various directions but Klaus was able to pinpoint the adjustable eyepiece near the bottom.

"So, this is my telescope." Caroline announced somewhat proudly. "I made it when I was twelve."

"Impressive."

She flushed at his comment. "Thank you."

The pair stood in awkward silence for a few seconds, both unsure of what to say. Klaus wanted to apologise, as he had from the moment he saw her, but he still didn't know how to begin. She seemed to be talking to him so he didn't want to bring up the issue if it wasn't a big deal to her.

"Caroline, I-"

"Klaus, I-"

They both stopped short. Klaus shot her an amused look and they began to laugh in unison.

Caroline smiled kindly. "Do you want to take a look?"

"Sure. Why not?"

Klaus kneeled on the ground and angled his head so he could look through the eyepiece. He was greeted by a vision of glowing stars on a background of brilliant, dark blue. It was so simple yet so wonderful to look at. It was an example of nature at its finest. He itched to set up his canvas and splash on colours until they resembled the picture before his eyes.

"Nice view." He commented, and stood again.

"I'm planning on building a larger one though." Caroline rested a hand on the telescope and ran it along the rim. "This one is fine, of course, but I want to be able to see the comet Hyakutake." When Klaus looked confused, she explained. "It's this beautiful comet that only comes around every one hundred years, you see. Scientists from the renaissance have been trying to predict its exact date of pass but it varies. This year, it has been predicted to be early December. So that gives me a few months to build it."

Klaus thought for a moment and asked, "Is this on your list?"

"What list?" Caroline feigned an innocent expression but she looked away in defeat. "Maybe." She admitted quietly.

He decided to push further. "May I ask what else in on your list?"

"No, you may not."

"Very well, I shall ask no more," Klaus said quickly, noticing her defensive expression. "So, this comet…Hya-something-"

The blonde hid her grin with a hand. "Hyakutake."

"That's the one. Is this just another one of God's little miracles then?" Klaus had meant to sound teasing but it came out bitterer than he had intended. It was true though. He understood that stars and comets and planets were wonderful to look at, but Caroline treated them as if they were divine, and believing in God was something he found to ignorant to believe.

"Ah, I forget you don't believe."

He was surprised by the sadness in her voice. "I just don't understand how you can put all your faith into something that cannot be proven."

Caroline looked down at the ground and was silent for a few moments. Then, she replied, "I believe because I choose to. I have faith that there is another force that we have yet to understand. I can't explain it, but I believe in science and I believe in God. Yes, there is much evidence to support science but little to prove God's name; however that does mean it does not exist." She looked across at Klaus. "These thoughts that channel our beliefs originate from a truth, that's how I believe it to be so."

"So you believe because others before you have?" Klaus frowned, trying to clarify her explanation.

The blonde looked up, sharply. "Do not twist my words."

"I wasn't trying to, I swear." He swallowed once. "I'm merely trying to understand."

Caroline gave a small sigh. "You cannot, because you don't believe. The best way I can explain it, is for you to see it. In miracles. In all those little moments that shouldn't occur, but do. When lives are saved that were predicted death by the second; when things occur by a list of choices and moments of chance. That's why I choose to believe, Klaus."

He took a moment to think. Caroline did have a point, he thought. There _were_ acts of kindness and hope that could not be explained but he had reasons not to believe as well. "And what about all the horrors of the world, then? Are those also an act of God?" He asked. "What about all the lies and selfishness and evil? How can God allow those to pass, Caroline? Explain that."

"Without suffering, there would be no compassion. Without anger and fear there would be no forgiveness and hope." She smiled warmly and looked up at the stars. "I am not an expert in the way our world works, but I know that people make bad decisions because that's what makes us human. God did not design us to be perfect but He gave us the choice of free will. If no one made mistakes, how can we ever learn?"

Klaus smiled. Just as he had expected, Caroline had given him more reasons to take another look at his views. "Interesting theories." He managed, lost in thought. By no means at all, was Klaus a believer but the blonde had managed such a sustained argument for her case that the idea was almost easy to grasp. She had not denied the flaws in human beings; and she had not denied that God made everything perfect. She knew what she believed in and was at peace with that decision.

"So you do not blame God for all your problems then?"

Caroline laughed quietly and shook her head. "No, I do not. I understand that some acts cannot be forgiven, but even then; we must try. For we are all the same. We are all human and we are all living together on this one planet that God gave us to share. Our problems are caused by our actions. But like I said before, acts of kindness and compassion can be shown as well."

"You surprise me, Caroline."

The blonde arched an eyebrow in her own surprise. "Do I?"

"Yes, you do." Klaus cleared his throat and looked at her in awe. "Everything you say and do surprises me. Your views on God and miracles are almost believable, and I'm saying that as a non-believer so you should feel proud." He chuckled when she grinned. "But I have to ask you this," He crosses his arms in front of his chest, anxiously. "Do you-"

"Of course I do."

He frowned, but lightly. "How do know what I'm going to ask…?"

Now it was Caroline's turn to laugh. She took a few steps forward until she stood directly in front of him. Her skin seemed to glow under the subtle light and the blue in her eyes was illuminated with serenity as if every emotion was swimming in the depths of them. _The window to the soul, entirely, _he thought. She smiled with exposed openness and reached for his hand. Holding it gently in her own, Caroline smiled up at him and something inside him clicked into place.

"I forgive you, Klaus."

And with that, the guilt was gone.

"You do?" He murmured, brushing her knuckles delicately with his fingertips. "How can you? I said terrible things to you. If I recall, I called you nosey and argumentative." He cursed inwardly for bring it up again but he had to be sure Caroline was forgiving him and not banishing his words from her mind.

Caroline tilted her head, blonde curls tumbling across her shoulders in waves. "Life is too short." She whispered.

"I didn't mean it, I swear." He blundered on. Something inside his head kept bringing it back to the subject. "I was angry…and I said things I shouldn't have. I truly am sorry, Caroline. One of my many faults is that I tend to unleash my anger upon the nearest person, and that happened to be you. I'm learning to express it more…carefully." He bit his lower lip. "I'm trying to at least."

"It's forgotten."

"But – and you had every right to be - you were so angry."

Klaus knew that he couldn't drop the subject without bring her reaction up. The look on the blonde's face had been so hurt and upset as she ran away in the corridor, how could all that emotion be gone already? He'd known of people who didn't hold grudges but Caroline's state seemed too good to be true. It didn't seem right, it felt like a trap.

With a small nod, Caroline considered this. "I was," She admitted. "And now I'm not."

"Really?" He questioned. "Just like that?"

"Just like that."

When she noticed his expression of confusion and disbelief, Caroline laughed; a bubbly, happy sound that lifted his mood. "You haven't asked anyone for forgiveness before, have you?" She grinned. "Well, allow me to show you. You said you were sorry, and admitted your mistake, and I forgave you. It really is that simple, Klaus."

Klaus smiled back, looking at the girl in front of him in wonder and repeated, "You always surprise me."

"Well, you don't know everything about me."

"I'd like to." He said softly. Caroline looked at him with newly widened eyes. A slight flush picked up the colour in her cheeks. "Come round my house to practise." He offered in good nature. "We only have this week left and you always said you wanted to, you know, before, and now I'm offering. I dare you." His lips pulled up further as her expression grew playful. "I dare you, Caroline."

As if only suddenly noticing how close they were standing, Caroline slowly shifted her feet until they stood side by side, watching the stars. Klaus found himself missing the intimacy instantly and leaned closer; the corners of their shoulders touching. He relaxed into the warmth of the sensation.

"Aren't you going to paint?"

He smiled at Caroline's question and gave a small shrug. "I do not find the need to anymore."

* * *

"Can you get the door?" Klaus called down to Esther. "It's probably Caroline. Tell her that I'll be down in a moment!" Upstairs, he quickly began shoving sketches, old and new, under the bed with his foot. He'd picked up drawing again fairly easily, techniques and methods coming back to him in waves. The problem with inspiration was that it hit at random times, hence piles of paper strewn across the carpet as if he was a crazy scientist.

Beneath the stairs, he paused when he heard the familiar creek of the front door opening but was surprised when there was no audible greeting. He gave his room the once-over before leaving the room; door still half-ajar. His footsteps echoed on the wooden staircase as he jogged to greet his guest.

"Caroline, sorry about that, I was just-"

He broke off when he noticed there were not one, but two blondes standing outside on the porch. One stood alone, and the other was currently being embraced by his mother. Both, he recognised instantly. Though only one of their presences caught him by surprise.

"Hello, big brother."

"Bekah…"

Despite his disbelief, Klaus could not deny that standing next to Caroline, pulling away from Esther, was indeed his little sister. Although she wasn't so little anymore. When they had left three years ago, Rebekah had been a freshman. Now, she was in her junior year; only a year behind Klaus in school. She was taller, slimmer but her grin was still as contagious and playful as it had always been. She was dressed in dark blue jeans, a grey tank top and the black leather jacket he had given as a birthday present when she began High School. _Some things never change_, he thought fondly; pleased she hadn't thrown it away.

"Don't just stand there!" Rebekah beamed. She stepped forwards and wrapped her arms around him before he could say another word. Her embrace was warm and loving, as if the last time they had spoken had been removed from her memory. He was puzzled as his younger sister held grudges even worse than he did, but instead Klaus returned the hug and pulled her closer.

"It's good to see you, Nik."

Klaus grinned at the name. "You too."

He pulled away once he realised that Caroline was still standing in the doorway. "Uh…Caroline, my apologises." He gestured to both blondes. "Caroline, this is my little sister, Rebekah. Sister, this is my…friend, Caroline. Behave, please." He warned his sibling when he noticed her sizing the other blonde up.

Caroline gave a small smile and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." Rebekah smiled coolly and offered her own hand. It was a family trait; the need to protect one's kin. It was by no means anything personal against Caroline but the Mikaelsen siblings, despite their flaws, kept each other protected and away from harm.

"Go easy, little sister."

Rebekah's lips pulled into a smirk. "Oh, believe me, I am."

As if directing the focus off of her, Caroline cleared her throat pointedly and commented, "I didn't know you had siblings, Klaus."

_Oh, no._

"Well," Klaus shuffled his feet under the weight of Rebekah's scrutinising gaze. "We didn't exactly part on good terms so…I didn't bring it up." He defended. "I was going to tell you, but it never came up, that's all. I didn't really want to talk about it anyway."

"You mean you didn't want to talk about how you abandoned me?"

_Well, that was fast._

Klaus heard Esther give a sharp inhale of breath, as if preparing for an outbreak as he rubbed the nape of his neck in discomfort. Caroline stood behind him now, waiting on the stairs as if standing on the edge of the tension zone. He looked at his younger sister, whose eyes had narrowed into angry slits; her arms curling defensively around the doorframe.

"I didn't abandon you-"

"Yes, you did!" Rebekah interrupted. "Elijah left for Law School; you left for Mystic Falls on a whim – just like that!" She snapped her fingers together in an angry motion. "No warning, nothing! It was suddenly, 'Oh, little sister; guess where I'm going? I'm leaving because I don't like our father and I'm leaving you behind!' Thank you for that, Nik!"

Klaus gritted his teeth together. "Don't pretend that you cared!" He hissed back. "You didn't even bother to say goodbye to me so you don't have the right to get angry at me, love."

"I didn't say goodbye because you were leaving me!" Rebekah cried in anguish.

They both paused, chests heaving in unison. Although they were both angry at each other, Klaus wasn't naïve enough to think that was the reason behind their words. Both were angry, but also sorrowed. Klaus; sorrowed that his little sister never said goodbye, and his sister; saddened that he had left her alone.

"I didn't leave you, Bekah. I wanted you to come with me, but you didn't want to…"

"I couldn't leave. I had settled in at school; I had friends and a life that I didn't want to lose by moving across the states and starting again. I was happy Nik…with you." Her voice dropped quieter. "But then you left, and I realised that part of the reason I was happy was because I had you. Father's girlfriend Elizabeth moved in after a while. She's nice, I suppose but…she isn't you, mother."

Esther smiled and held her daughter's hand in response.

The anger fading away, Klaus looked across at his sister; leaning against the closed door. "What _are_ you doing here, Rebekah?"

"I've transferred."

Klaus blinked a couple of times. "You transferred…here?"

"Yes." His younger sister nodded happily and she gestured to the two large suitcases and various handbags behind her. "I told you, Nik. It wasn't the same without you, and Elijah stayed on at Harvard for another year and has now announced he might be moving to Bulgaria to live with Katherine-"

"What?!"

"My son is moving to Bulgaria?!"

Klaus and Esther mirrored the same confused and worried expressions. Last time he had heard of it, Elijah had moved in with his long-time girlfriend, Katherine, but he hadn't been aware that they were that serious. Suspicious, Klaus felt as if he had been deliberately kept in the dark.

"He _might_ be." Rebekah soothed them carefully. "He said he'd phone you both when he got the chance. I was on the phone with him a couple of days ago and he mentioned it. Katherine has been offered a full-time job out there, near her home town and he's looking for work as well when he's finished with his Masters in a few months' time. He said he'd visit before, if he did move." Rebekah defended. "He promised."

Klaus grumbled, "Why have we not been informed?"

"He's been busy, Nik." Rebekah shrugged. "And you know how family is to him, but you know how good he is at his work and is studying hard so...lay off a while."

"I'm glad my brother is managing."

"We're all very proud of him, aren't we, son?" Esther smiled and looked at Klaus who gave in and nodded.

Another thought came to his mind, and Klaus directed the conversation elsewhere. "Are you going back to Massachusetts for the wedding in a fortnight's time?"

Rebekah shrugged. "Perhaps. Are you?"

"Mother is." Klaus paused and then replied slowly, "I'm still…considering."

A quiet throat cleared behind him, making Klaus jump. He saw Caroline looking anxiously amongst his family and murmured, "Sorry…I don't mean to interrupt, but should I come back later?" She smiled. "I don't want to be in the middle of a family reunion, we can rehearse tomorrow if you all need to catch up."

"No!" Klaus told her quickly. "We can catch up later, can't we?"

Rebekah raised an eyebrow but gave a knowing smirk. "Of course." His sister said sweetly. "We haven't seen each other for more than three years but, go ahead; you two _obviously_ have more important things to be doing." He ignored the implication.

Caroline didn't notice the sarcasm. "It's only a rehearsal, we can reschedule-"

"My sister and I have plenty of time to catch up, whereas the play is in a week's time." Klaus said smoothly.

Rebekah's lips pulled up into smile as her eyes flickered knowingly between Caroline and her elder brother but she said nothing.

"I'll see you later, then."

When they finally escaped the family drama, Klaus led a bewildered Caroline into his room and closed it behind him; leaning his head against the door. It was a lot to take in. Rebekah was moving in, Elijah was moving to Bulgaria, his father was getting remarried. Everything seemed to be happening at once and he couldn't control any of it.

"Klaus?" Caroline asked. "Are you feeling okay?"

He forced himself to focus on the blonde, who was now sitting on the carpet facing him. "Hm? Oh yes, I'm perfectly alright. Thank you for asking. I'm just a little bit overwhelmed, and wondering if my other sibling is planning to show up unannounced."

"So, your family…"

Klaus gave a low chuckle. "Don't even try and understand it."

"I'd like to."

He looked across Caroline. _Really_ looked at her. She was staring at him intently, but not forcefully; her expression curious. He reached for the script on his bedside table and crossed his legs on the floor, opposite the blonde as he had done at her house. "It's complicated. Rebekah, Elijah and I were very close growing up, but after the divorce…we all sort of…separated by accident." He swallowed, a feeling of sadness pushing to the surface. He missed the closeness and bond that was only available through family. "My father and mother divorced three years ago, and my mother decided to leave and move here. She grew up here you see and moved when she met Mikael. So I decided to move with her."

Caroline thought for a moment, and asked, "You don't miss your father, then?"

He automatically tensed. "No."

"No love lost there." She said quietly, and took the hint to change the subject. "And what about Rebekah and…Elijah?"

Encouragingly, Klaus found it sweet and respectful that Caroline was trying to keep up with his family already. "Ask anyone. They'll say Elijah was made to be a lawyer. He's smart, good with people and knows how to win without manipulating with makes him not only an excellent lawyer, but a fair one too. He left a little while before the divorce to study at Harvard. I still think one of the reasons he chose Harvard was to escape the drama…"

"I thought you were all close?"

"We were…are. I'm not sure why he was so keen to leave but maybe the thought of divorce was unappealing to him. He always held loyalty in high esteem-"

His words triggering a memory, something registered inside his thoughts. What if his elder brother had known about the affair and he didn't want to live with Mikael anymore? Klaus made a mental note to ask his brother when called to talk about his possible move to Bulgaria. But Klaus had a feeling he was right already.

"And…?"

"Nothing." Klaus shook his head. "But like I was saying, he moved and I left to come to Mystical Falls with mother…leaving Rebekah with Mikael. You have to know that the only reason I left was because Mikael and I never saw eye to eye; and that's putting it mildly. I never wanted to leave my sister, I begged her to move with us."

Caroline smiled and tucked the usual loose lock behind her ear; a familiar move. "I believe you. I take it there is no love lost for your father?"

"None at all."

"You're somewhat lucky, you know."

He frowned at that. "Do explain."

It was Caroline's turn to shuffle nervously now. She met his eyes timidly and replied, "It's just that…my father is over-protective. It isn't that I don't appreciate it, but sometimes it gets a little too much, you know?" She looked down guiltily, as if feeling worse for every bad word she said against him. "I just wish he'd understand that he can't keep me from every little danger in the world. I want to travel, you see. But no, that's far too reckless for a priest's daughter. He wants to keep an eye on me, but…never mind."

"Oh, come on," He teased gently. "You cannot leave me on a cliff-hanger like that. I told you about my dysfunctional family so you can tell me about yours."

Caroline laughed, and his heart warmed to the sound. "If you wish it so!" She replied with a smile. "You see…I _want_ to be scared. I want to travel. I want to get lost and find a home in the strangest of places. I want to stay in tropical paradises and frozen towns in the middle of nowhere. I want to discover things I'd never dream of seeing, and meet people who inspire me." She looked sad. "But I doubt my father will ever let me leave this town, let alone travel the world. He wants to keep me safe and away from harm."

"I never saw you as the sort of person who wanted to travel." Klaus admitted.

"I think you'll find that people surprise you."

Klaus played with the corners of the script in his hands and gave a low chuckle. "You have no idea how right you are."

"Rehearse now?" The blonde asked quietly.

He nodded. "Rehearse."

* * *

Later on, after Caroline had left, Klaus wandered down into the kitchen to pour a drink. The final week before the play had worn him out; with the argument, painting and drawing again, and with his sister turning up. He'd also been getting on with school work as well. Being an ordinary student was by no means easy, Klaus was beginning to discover. He walked into the kitchen and saw Rebekah standing by the window, a pale blue china mug cupped in her hands. His little sister hadn't noticed his arrival so Klaus cleared his throat, as not to startle her.

"Are you all settled in?" He asked.

Rebekah gave a delicate shrug, flicking a strand of hair across her cheek. "Almost."

He smiled in return. It was true, he had missed her. He had missed their late night talks and bickering, and he had missed sharing jokes and laughs with her. Now that he was allowing himself to think about it, Klaus had forgotten their parting and was simply glad to be in Rebekah's company once again. She looked different, but exactly the same all at once. Her hair was lighter, but still had the same thickness and shoulder-length; her eyes seemed wiser but still had the same playful glint.

"I've missed you, little sister."

Rebekah's expression softened. "I've missed you too, Nik."

"Is that why you moved?"

"It's one of the reasons." The blonde began. She leant back on one of the kitchen stools and Klaus mirrored the pose. "Things were different the moment you left. Elijah was off at Harvard and I had no one." She looked apologetic. "I don't mean to blame you. I still had close friends and school was…almost fun, but I missed my family being, well, a family. Mikael and Elizabeth have been busy with the wedding stuff for a while now and as I passed all my exams with flying colours, I began asking about transferring to Mystic Falls." She grinned. "The teachers didn't want to lose such an excellent student but they had no right to keep me."

"Smart alec."

"I get it from my brothers."

Klaus laughed and Rebekah ducked her head and smirked.

"So, Nik," His little sister tilted her head at him mischievously and pried, "Are you going to tell me more about Caroline?"

He feigned ignorance. "What about her?"

"The pair of you seem very…close." Rebekah did little to hide her smug grin.

Klaus was about to say something along the lines of them being just friends but he knew that would only make matters worse. The truth was; he, himself didn't know entirely. Without trying to over-analyse, he enjoyed Caroline's company, and was drawn in by her words and passions. What else was there to think about? If anything was going to happen, then let it happen. There was no use wasting time thinking about multiple possibilities that might or might not occur. His need for control wasn't the same around Caroline. Strangely enough, he didn't want to control the blonde, but he did want her to see him in a good light. Whether that was because he was intrigued by her or whether he held her opinion in high esteem he had yet to figure out. But he would. Soon.

"We'll see." He mused.

* * *

**Wow...long chapter.**

**So, yes; Klaus still has his asshole moment but all is well ;)**

**I've tried my hardest not to copy anything directly from the film or the show but I allowed for the star-gazing because it plays a big part later on. And I think by now, Klaus is beginning to feel something stronger so this chapter for me, was the most interesting to write.**

**YES, REBEKAH HAS ARRIVED!**

**Excuse the caps, but I adore writing her, it's so much fun.**

**The next chapter will focus on the play, so I hope you enjoyed this one :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Finally, the long-awaited chapter…the play!**

**Hope you all enjoy it :)**

* * *

"Who's the cute blonde over there who grinned at you, buddy?" Stefan asked Klaus with a grin. It had been a few days since Rebekah's arrival in Mystic Falls and she was already gaining male admirers.

Klaus gritted his teeth. "That's my sister." He warned tightly.

His friend paused in the middle of the hallway. Stefan shot him a surprised look and Klaus sighed, ready to explain. He'd told his little sister that as she'd already finished her Junior year exams at her old school she didn't actually need to come in until Senior year began. Mystic Falls High School was behind by a few months compared to Rebekah's old school but she had decided to turn up anyway. Already, a few girls were pinned to her sides like magnets. Rebekah had flashed a pleased smile as she passed Klaus in the corridor, much to his amusement.

"I didn't know you had a sister, let alone know that she lives here!"

"She only just moved to Mystic Falls actually." He told a confused Stefan. "Before, she used to live in Massechutes with my father." He explained.

"Oh." There was a pause then the younger Salvatore added, "She's…uh…cute."

Klaus ignored the remark and grumbled, "Let's get to class."

* * *

At lunch break, Stefan and Klaus found themselves sitting across a stone bench in a quiet corner outside on the back field. The weather was warm and inviting. Presently, the younger Salvatore brother was updating his friend on the current situation involving Elena Gilbert.

"I decided to admit how much I liked her."

Klaus admired Stefan's honesty but noticed his friend's solemn expression. "And how did that work out?"

"Not well. Not well at all." Stefan bowed his head, low. "I told her that I don't want to split her and Damon up but the thoughts were killing me. I said that I won't bother her again if she can look me in the eye and tell me that she doesn't have feelings for me too."

Klaus felt the conversation growing tense. "How did the lovely Elena react to that?"

"She couldn't look me in the eye, and she said…she said she needs more time." Stefan dug his fingers into the corner of the bench. "I don't know what to do, she's driving me insane, Klaus. I'd let it go if she swore blindly she loves Damon and feels nothing for me. But I'm tired of this. As much as I want to be with her, I can't take her leading me on for much longer."

"Too right." Klaus agreed. He found it hard to believe that Stefan was letting himself be dragged along like this. Especially by a girl, who Klaus thought, was not worth the time of day. He offered a small smile. "I don't think she's worth it, mate. If I'm perfectly honest, forget all about Elena Gilbert."

The conversation ended and the two ate in comfortable silence until a few moments later, they were no longer alone. Rebekah swung her bag onto the ground and took a seat on the grass, beaming up at them with a brilliant smile. "I've been looking everywhere for you, Nik."

He raised an eyebrow, amused. "And do tell; why is that, little sister?" He took a bite out of an apple. "Don't tell me you've lost the swarm of desperate females clinging to your arm?"

"Those silly creatures bore me." Rebekah gave a little, musical laugh. "But they're far too easy to impress. Without meaning to be a bitch, I swear some of those girls will never graduate high school." She looked at her nails carefully. "They have yet to master the art of balancing cuticle care and education."

Klaus chuckled lightly.

The younger Salvatore nudged him and murmured, "I like her."

He was sure Rebekah heard as she cleared her throat and her cheeks grew rosy. "You must be Nik's friend, Stefan." She held a hand out and offered her best flirtatious smile. "I'm Rebekah."

Stefan brushed a kiss upon her knuckles. "It's an honour to make your acquaintance." He joked.

Begrudgingly, Klaus interrupted their moment and snapped at his friend, "Are you inviting me to pluck your eyeballs from their sockets, mate?"

"Sorry."

"_Excuse_ me!" Rebekah scolded him. "Nik does not have any right to play the protective older sibling." She shook her head and blonde hair flicked in the wind. "I shall decide for myself when I wish to unleash hell on other, sweet brother. But thank you for offer; I'll keep it in mind."

Klaus gave an eye roll but did not reply. The truth was, he had missed this greatly; the banter and the laughs. Even though he felt undecided about his little sister flirting with his best friend, Klaus felt happier when Rebekah was around. But he _was_ protective of the blonde. He always had been. The only person allowed to tease and provoke her was Klaus himself, not anyone else.

"So," Rebekah looked at Stefan with interest. "Who is this…Elena Gilbert?"

"Drop it."

His younger sister narrowed her eyes at him. "I was asking Stefan, if you don't mind."

"And I'm telling you to leave it alone."

"It's okay, buddy." Stefan allowed with a smirk. He smiled at Rebekah warmly, though his eyes were sad. "She's just a girl causing mayhem with my heart."

Curiously, Rebekah raised an eyebrow. "How poetic!"

"You make her sound like an angel." Klaus grumbled.

"I take it she's not?"

Klaus shook his head at his younger sister. "Trust me, she's anything but."

"Don't start." Stefan said quietly. He looked at his friend and explained, "I just…don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Fair enough."

"Well, I for one think you deserve better also." Rebekah broke the silence and swung her legs around to position herself more comfortably. "I don't even know her yet she's most likely a whiney brat who enjoys stringing you along simply for the benefit of her own self-importance." The blonde shrugged and a small smile perched on her lips. "I have a talent of judging people fairly accurately, and _you_," She pointed a finger at Stefan playfully. ", are a very handsome man who seems to care about the feelings over others. Which any respectable lady would admire. Hence why my conclusion is that this Elena Gilbert has mental health issues or vision problems or else why would she not be sitting here with you?"

Klaus grinned proudly at his sister's deductions and noticed Stefan staring in awe. "I think you've rendered my best friend speechless, little sister."

She laughed and stood to duck into a full-sweeping curtsey in front of the two boys. "It's my pleasure." Rebekah grinned. She began playing with a strand of hair that had parted from her braid. "Speaking of speechless, I can't wait to see your face when you see Caroline tomorrow night." Rebekah spoke sweetly but her smile was far from innocent.

"I have no idea as to what you are inferring to."

As Klaus urged his voice not to give anything away, Stefan and Rebekah shared a knowing look.

"Don't play dumb with me, Nik." His younger sister argued slyly. "The play is tomorrow night, and you know it. I bet you're dreading it but don't you worry, I'll be there to style your hair and pale those blushing cheeks. Whatever else are younger sisters for?"

His head shot up quickly. "You're going to be helping out?"

Rebekah nodded, her voice gleeful, "You can count on it. I'll be continuing with Drama studies next year anyway, and Miss Branson said she needed expertise in hair and makeup so…voila! Obviously, I jumped at the chance to be in the same room as my big brother and makeup brushes. Won't that be something else?"

"Over my dead body."

"Oh, come on!" Rebekah protested, turning the charm up to an eleven. "Nik, please-"

Klaus leaned forwards and chose his words carefully. "Under no circumstances are you going to be allowed near me tomorrow night, is that understood?"

"At least let me do your hair!"

"No."

"Please!"

Klaus felt close to tearing his hair out to conclude the argument. "For the love of God, Bekah, the answer is no!"

Next to the two arguing siblings, Stefan's mood improved with each biting remark. He grinned, taking a bite out of his pear as he announced, "You two should have your own TV show."

"And call it what?" Klaus muttered. "_The intolerable Blonde and her extraordinarily patient brother'_?"

Rebekah shook her head. "How about '_The Stubborn Pride of a Mikaelsen man?_'" She directed a sharp look towards Klaus.

"You two are _so_ related." Stefan chuckled.

His patience thinning, Klaus rolled his eyes and snapped, "Oh, be quiet!"

At the same time, Rebekah added; "Unfortunately so!"

Stefan sighed at the pair's growing irritation. "Jesus…" He began. "Note to self; sibling fights are dangerous." A few moments passed until he spoke again. "It wouldn't hurt to compromise though, right? How about you let Rebekah do your hair, but nothing fancy or un-Klaus-like? It's not that big of a deal."

Klaus looked across at Rebekah and thought for a few moments. He admittedly knew how much she wanted to help out. She'd always been keen on theatre productions from a young age. He had even taken her to her first live-action stage production of Hamlet for her 13th birthday, just the two of them. The blonde wouldn't admit it, but little acts of helping out would please her greatly. She wanted to work behind the scenes of a travelling company, or costume departments for ballets. Stefan was right, it wouldn't hurt to let his younger sister mess his hair up for one night.

"No hair dye, though." He surrendered.

Rebekah's grin lit up and she let out a delighted squeal. "Deal."

"Now that's sorted, can we talk about something else other than my hair?"

Stefan nodded with a smirk. "Lets."

* * *

Later in the afternoon, the final practise session went along without any trouble. Costumes were given a final fit and directions were given. A few last minute lines were underlined and adjusted, but no major errors were shown. Already, the staging and lighting had been set up and ready for the following evening. The costumes and hair and makeup department had been set up backstage and all the cast had been assigned different sections. Miss Branson was beaming from ear to ear, walking around with an even more visible spring in her step than usual.

"Everything is so…perfect!" She cried happily. "I just know that everything will go splendidly tomorrow!"

_If you say so,_ Klaus wanted to murmur. He had run through his lines with Caroline and Heather, the two others with whom he shared the most stage time with. But their costumes had been fitted earlier, before he arrived, so he hadn't seen Caroline's outfit. And after Rebekah's sly words about his reaction, he was worried about the lack of preparation.

_She's just going to look…different, that's all, _Klaus fought his prying thoughts. It'll just be strange seeing her in- he read the descriptive narrative from the script – '_a tight-fitting formal gown the colour of an early-rising blue sky'_. Compared to her usual clothes, anyhow.

"Are you with us?"

Klaus gave a small jump, startled. He turned his head a fraction to the left and saw Caroline smiling across at him, her eyes glowing; alive with peace and happiness. She was wrapped in a dark green dressing count yet the collar was folded down, almost revelling was looked like a V-neck line of her dress. As if noticing his gaze, the blonde tugged at the collar and pulled it closer together.

"So…ready for the big night tomorrow?" Klaus asked kindly.

"As ready as I'll ever be. You?"

"I think so." He nodded, and before Klaus knew what he was saying, he found himself asking, "Are you doing anything later?"

Caroline frowned lightly at his question. "Not that I'm aware of. I was going to sit at home and run lines until I drive myself crazy and fall asleep."

"Ah, sounds…enticing."

"Very. Unless…you have a better offer for me?" Caroline ran a hand through her head coyly.

Klaus shrugged, determined to remain casual. "Well, I thought you might want to relax tonight. There's no use in worrying about the performance; we've done all we can do so why not show me a few stars? I was going to try and do some painting at the graveyard anyway." He was beginning to lose track quickly so paused and tried again. "I'm going out painting tonight. Would you care to join me?"

"I don't paint."

He tried to hide his disappointment. "Very well. I'll see you tomorrow evening, Caroline." He began to turn away.

"But…I'll join you for stargazing."

Smiling with his back to the blonde, Klaus turned around again. "I'll see you at 8 o'clock?"

Caroline nodded with a sweet smile. "8 o'clock it is."

"I'll see you later, Caroline."

"Goodbye, Klaus."

* * *

"For the last time, no!"

"You said it isn't a date, so why can't I come with you?"

Klaus ran a hand through his hair so quickly; he was surprised he didn't rip any strands out in anger. "It's not a date." He repeated. "However, it _is_ a…appointment between two friends. And I don't think Caroline wants my younger sister just turning up to ruin the date-I mean, appointment."

"You just said date!" Rebekah said in a singsong voice.

Klaus stabbed a finger at her. "I recall saying no such thing!" He snapped.

"It's a _dateeeeee!_" His younger sister sang victoriously. "Klaus and Caroline going on a date_, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!"_

"Mother, please tell Rebekah to back to Massechutes."

Rebekah looked wounded. "You didn't mean that!"

"How much do you want to bet?"

"_Hmph_." His younger sister folded her arms crossly. "That was out of order, Nik."

Klaus felt a tugging smile growing and despite his efforts to hide it, the longer he looked at his sulking sister, the quicker it grew. That was the thing about fondness. It was always there, hidden even in arguments. And that fondness was destroying any last inch of annoyance at Rebekah's persistence.

He walked across and put an arm around her. "Will you leave it alone if I say it's a date?"

Rebekah looked at him from under strands of blonde hair. Then a grin broke out across her face and she pulled away singing, "I knew it!" She danced across the kitchen, filling the kettle and getting cups from the counter as she did so. "My big brother is going on a date!"

"Hush, woman."

"Not a chance." She replied with a wink. But then Rebekah leaned across and kissed his cheek. "Good luck, Nik."

"It's not really a date-"

Rebekah and her grin left the room before he could finish.

With a shake of his head, Klaus felt his mood lightening as it had been for many days now. His younger sister's arrival had given him somehow to talk to again, and someone to bicker and argue with. He had missed the blonde, but he had also missed the comfort of family. Whilst Esther was loving and attentive, it wasn't the same as a sibling relationship. And Rebekah's presence was making Klaus feel at ease. Family had always made him feel stronger, and his siblings made him feel more in control.

As he began to gather up his painting kit, Klaus found himself humming a jaunty little tune. The clock reached quarter to eight fairly quickly and Klaus bid goodbye to a smirking Rebekah before driving his Henley out of the drive and towards the graveyard. The night was steadily rolling in, stormy grey clouds spreading across the sky like stars. The air was cool but he could feel the temperature dropping as each moment passed. Klaus swung the bike into the parking area and chained it to the side gate before strolling through the grounds. He noticed that Caroline's car was nowhere in sight.

"Hey, stranger."

Klaus spun around and saw Caroline standing a few feet behind him. "Were you following me?" He asked teasingly.

"Don't flatter yourself, Mikaelsen."

"No car?"

Caroline shook her head.

He looked at her for a few seconds. She was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a loose-fitting beige jumper. The blonde's soft curls coiled down over her shoulders and Klaus couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked under the rising moon above their heads. She noticed his gaze and cleared her throat, flushing as usual. "S-so…do you want to paint?"

"Yes!" Klaus said quickly. He gestured an arm for her to follow. "After you, Caroline."

An hour later and Caroline was practically dancing with joy, naming stars and throwing little facts at Klaus every five minutes. The blonde had brought a couple of hand-held lanterns with her and dotted them in circles around the pair so they could see as the night grew darker. Klaus was impressed with every star she named and continued to paint…her. Every time Caroline looked over, Klaus would snap his attention to the stars in a vain hope she would not press the issue to look over his shoulder. She must've assumed he was painting the sky, and Klaus wanted to keep it that way for now. He found it almost impossible to portray her on paper in translation to how Klaus saw her through his eyes. The smile wasn't sweet enough and the expression wasn't peaceful enough. But he was determined to get it right.

"I just love all the legends surrounding the Big Dipper!" Caroline found another group of stars and began talking at light speed. But her passion was undeniable and his heart warmed to the sound. "Hindu astronomy refers to it as 'Sapta Rishi' which means 'The Seven Great Sages' but legend says that there used to be nine, but two are unseen. Anyone who can see the unseen stars will live a long and prosperous life."

"Did you just quote Star Trek?"

Caroline waved a hand at the remark. "I'm only repeating what I read."

Klaus grinned but argued no more. The blonde told him about the Asian, American and British legends surrounding the Big Dipper and he listened to all the theories. It was easy. Passion this strong was rare and the acknowledgement that Caroline felt comfortable enough to share it with him meant more to Klaus than he could explain. It was a sign of respect, but also a sign of trust. And Klaus knew how hard it was to trust another. He disliked people who looked down upon other's passions. But listening to the blonde was easy as she came to life with her passions. Her eyes shone and her smile blossomed.

It was such a wonderfully _human_ thing to see.

"I'm worried about my solo."

Klaus blinked in surprise. He paused mid-stroke and looked to the left, where Caroline had been leaning down through her telescope. She was kneeling on the edge; hands in her lap as she played with a small fray in her jumper. He could almost feel her nerves from where he stood. "Have you ever sung before, in public?"

"Only in Church, but that's different."

_Of course you have._ Klaus wanted to kick himself. Instead, he asked, "Different how?"

Quietly, Caroline shifted and crossed one leg over the other. "Well…I know the people in Church. Under the eyes of God, I can sing with a purpose. And that purpose takes over any nerves and fear. I know that my friends and family will not judge me, but…I can't say the same for my fellow pupils, and their parents, and their friends…" She trailed off, visibly upset.

"Hey, hey," Klaus rushed forwards and lowered himself to her height, on his knees before the blonde. "It'll be fine, I promise you." He reached out and trailed the back of his hand gently across her cheek. "You have such a wonderful voice, Caroline. No one can take that away from you." Klaus soothed. His voice dropped, low and protectively. "Besides, if anyone looks at you with anything other than awe, I'll kindly show them from their seat to the nearest exit."

Caroline let out a small, but still-nervous laugh. She looked at him, his hand still resting on her cheek. "You'd really kick someone out for me?"

He nodded, hoping to translate his protectiveness through his gaze.

"And you'll be right there beside me?"

"You know I will be." Klaus replied softly. His hand lingered and he let it slowly, and reluctantly, fall.

Caroline seemed to physically brighten at his words. She drew her height up to its fullest and her smile grew confident. "Then I have nothing to worry about." She seemed oblivious as to how close they were from each other. Their noses were almost touching but she wasn't pulling away. Instead, she nodded to his canvas. "Can I see what you've done so far?"

"No!"

She tilted her head, confused. "Oh…okay. Sorry, I didn't think…sorry."

"No, no, it's not that I don't want you to see it, I just haven't actually finished it yet." Klaus explained quickly. "Sorry, I want you to see it when it's complete."

"Oh." Caroline waved a hand. "I understand."

"I asked you before, but you were sort of…angry with me." Klaus began with a start. "The comet you were talking about before, Hyakutake. I asked if it was on your list." He pressed further, determined to know just what this list was. "Is it like a bucket list, or just a group of things you want to do as soon as possible?"

The blonde looked up at the stars, her face wistful. "I'm not entirely sure. Yes, it is a list of acts that I want to do. But it has nothing to do with time. I don't want to rush out and do all these things at once. But you are right. I do want them." She smiled at Klaus. "At least I now have one more to tick."

Klaus lifted an eyebrow but her smile was contagious. "Befriend someone you do not like?" He clarified by placing a hand across his own chest.

She replied with a nod. "Precisely."

A few seconds passed quietly until Caroline suddenly jumped off the edge of the telescope. "It's raining!" She announced with open arms.

"No, it isn't-"

Klaus began to deny her statement when something warm but definitely rain-like landed on his jacket sleeve. True enough, rain began falling as soon as Caroline finished speaking; the water lapping down heavily on the pair. Quickly, he threw the waterproof cover over the canvas before splatters of water could ruin it. Caroline laughed as she began to dance around the telescope in an attempt to hide under the nearest tree. She giggled and held her arms over her head in cover. Klaus followed her, tugging off his jacket as he did and wrapping it around the soaked blonde.

"Oh, no, it's fine! Really, I don't mind getting wet."

He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Oh my- not like that..." Caroline looked visibly distraught. "I didn't mean, oh Lord, swallow me into the ground!" She buried her face into her hands, embarrassed.

"Forgive me; I should not have teased you. That was unkind of me." Klaus threw the jacket across the blonde's shoulder and tucked her long hair into the collar. The rain continued to pelt down overhead. Caroline reached out and tightened the jacket around her. She looked up again, a smile breaking out amidst her red cheeks. "You are forgiven."

Klaus looked out across the graveyard before turning to Caroline and asking, "Now what do you say we make a run for it, hm?"

"We'll be soaked!" She protested.

"We already are!" He shot back with a laugh. "Come on, I know you haven't got your car so I'll give you a ride home."

Caroline paused, looked out at the rainy cemetery and then sighed. "Very well."

"I shall protect you!" He teased the blonde lightly, and drew her closer to him in order to wrap his arms around her. The gesture was meant to appear playful but now it had reached an entire new level of intimacy. Ignoring the urge to stay like this for a while, Klaus pulled a now-squealing and laughing Caroline out into the open and covered her from the rain as best as he could.

He stopped mid-track. "What about the telescope? And the lanterns!" He cried loudly as to be heard over the rain.

Caroline wriggled under his arm. "Leave them!" She called back. "They're waterproof, you genius!" By now, her laughter was as loud as the rainfall.

"What if they get taken?"

"They won't!"

"Well, I'm not risking my canvas getting stolen!" Klaus reached across and folded the canvas stands in half and bent over to pick his brushes and paints up in one hand and carefully maneuverered the canvas under his left arm whilst keeping Caroline under his right arm. Somehow, he was successful. "You know, I'm beginning to contemplate a life in the circus!" He told Caroline, who was still covered by his jacket. He directed her towards the gate and managed to seat her on the Henley. By now, Klaus was completely soaking wet so he placed the paints and canvas into his bag before leaving.

"Caroline, you're going to have to hold on."

The blonde lifted her head for a moment and he noticed water dripping from her lashes. "Oh!" She realised, and reached forwards to link her arms in front of his chest. Her finger tightened around his torso and Klaus relished in the feeling of her hands on his chest. Shaking the thought from his mind, Klaus pushed off the ground and began to drive towards Caroline's house.

Klaus pulled up five minutes later outside the house, the rain slowing to a gentle drizzle. He balanced the bike carefully and lifted a leg across the handlebars to stand, offering Caroline a hand. She accepted; her hand surprisingly warm in his. Quietly, the pair stood there for a few moments. The rain was simply falling but Klaus barely noticed it. The blonde looked so captivating on a background of late evening sky. Her rain-soaked curls clung to her cheeks and those small freckles above her nose captured his attention once again. He wanted to touch them but hesitation was swimming around inside his thoughts.

"Are you counting my freckles again?"

Klaus felt his lips pull into a smile. "Of course you noticed."

"I'd better head inside." Caroline blinked slowly. Her eyes were shining with a hint of soft light.

Klaus remained still as the blonde leaned closer, achingly slow. "Yes, you should." He murmured huskily. But he moved an inch closer, mirroring her stance. The rain filled the air with gentle splashes as it hit the pavement but the only thing Klaus could hear was the sound of Caroline's breath hitching in anticipation. The wait was unbearable. Caroline's lips were so near to his, her nose just brushing against his. Klaus lifted a hand, taking the blondes face in his rain-sodden palm as she peered up at him from beneath full lashes.

"I'm going now." Caroline whispered.

He angled his head an inch to the right, even closer. "I know." It had reached that moment where one of them should pull away. Klaus knew that if Caroline didn't pull back then he wouldn't either. His desire to kiss her was consuming. She finally, and slowly, closed her eyes. As if the simple act was a trigger, Klaus wrapped an arm around her waist and lowered his head to-

"Caroline Forbes, come inside right away! You're completely soaked, child!"

_This cannot be happening._

But despite his protests, and soul desire for it not to be true, Klaus matched the voice to an angry-looked Bill Forbes standing on the edge of the porch. His eyes were narrowed at the closeness of the pair. Klaus took a reluctant step back and bit his lip to hide the irritation building through his mind. A few second would have changed so much. The possibility that Caroline's father chose the moment deliberately crossed his mind.

_Damn him._ Klaus cursed inwardly.

He was distracted when Caroline ducked her head, embarrassment clearly written on her face. But then she surprised him. The blonde reached forwards, under the gaze of her watchful father, and placed both hands on either side of his shoulders. She spoke softly, and intimately, into his ear, "I'll see you tomorrow, Klaus." Her voice was barely a whisper but Klaus felt his body respond like a chemical reaction. Her breath in his ear was exhilarating and tiny sparks of pleasure flickered across his arms and legs, and other parts.

Without a word, Klaus watched as the usually angelic girl gave a tiny sauntering wave with her hand and strolled up the path. She still had his jacket wrapped tightly around her body, a snug reminder close to her heart. His fingers itched to pull it from her body, along with every other inch of material in the way. These thoughts were controlling his mind like dark magic so Klaus persisted to bury them. For now, at least. He hid a smile when Caroline turned at the door and gave another wave. Klaus mimicked the gesture with a smile and a disbelieving shake of his head.

_Where did this girl come from?_

Klaus climbed onto his and drove home, partially dazed and somewhat annoyed at having been denied a kiss from his favourite bookworm. It wasn't as if there wouldn't be other opportunities but it seemed cruel to set it up so beautifully only to have an overprotective reverend appear a few minutes too early. It seemed that Fate was a bitch after all.

The rain stopped the second Klaus arrived at the house. He rolled his eyes, grumbling as he went about placing his equipment back and setting the half-finished canvas onto a backboard. Silently, he vowed to finish it as soon as possible. He closed the garage door, aware of the time and the fact that Esther and Rebekah were most likely asleep.

"Is that you, Nik?"

Klaus turned in the hallway and saw Rebekah leaning against the kitchen sill with a coffee mug in her hands. "Why are you up so late, little sister?"

She frowned lightly. "It's only eleven."

"My point exactly. Shouldn't you be getting your well-needed beauty sleep?" He teased.

Rebekah ignored the remark. "You're hilarious."

"I try."

"Did you have a nice time with your blonde friend?" His younger sister smirked, and waved a hand. "Whatever is her name…Candice, Carol…?"

Klaus began to feel annoyed. "You know it's Caroline."

"I knew." Rebekah admitted slyly. She looked at him with interest. "I just wanted to hear you say it."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You always look so protective whenever you say her name, that's all." Rebekah brought a foot up to rest against the cupboard behind. She smiled a little. "It's sort of sweet, you know. I've only ever seen you care about someone when they're family. But this girl…you care for her very dearly. I've only ever seen you with her once, yet you looked at her as if she held the moon in her heart and all the stars in her eyes." She paused and gave a small shrug, but her smile was kind. "She must be very special, Nik."

Klaus would have sworn those words sounded pumped by jealousy but Rebekah's face was a picture of softness; her eyes honest, and her smile still kind. But her words reflected her honesty, and Klaus could not deny the truth. He had cared for friends before, but nothing like this. Caroline was different. She was irritating, consuming and was completely different from anyone else he knew. But the blonde was also sweet, interesting and he couldn't deny the attraction he felt whenever she was near. She had a soul as old as chivalry and a heart as loving as the heavens.

"She is." He admitted quietly.

"Go get some sleep, then." Rebekah nodded him away. "Big night tomorrow, remember?"

Klaus shook his head fondly at his younger sister. "Who allowed you to get older than me?" His tone was teasing but admirable. An air of confidence and charm had always surrounded Rebekah, but she seemed so much more at ease with everyone else. Less self-absorbed and finally allowing her intelligence to break through the hair straighteners and shoes. Her love for cosmetics was clearly still present but the girl who stood before him had become a woman.

"I did." Rebekah smiled in the dim light. "Goodnight, Nik."

"Sleep well."

* * *

"Will you answer that _bloody_ phone?!"

"Okay! But please don't pull your hair out, Nik; I need it still in your head for the play!"

Rebekah's answering shout made him both grimace and smile. It was almost six-thirty in the evening and Klaus was in the bathroom, attempting to brush his teeth and wash his face. The persisting caller on the other end of the phone was growing on his nerves. When it finally stopped a few moments later, he sent a silent 'thank you' to his younger sister for completing his request. Quickly, he rinsed with water and towel-dried his wet skin before opening the door.

A few feet away, Rebekah was waiting. Her expression was unreadable, and she held the phone out towards him. "It's Elijah." She said calmly.

He reached for the phone quickly, before he could change his mind. "Hello, big brother. Long-time no see. Now, I'd love to stay and chat for a while but you see I'm rather late for an appointment. Would it be possible to call you back at a later time?" Klaus knew that he was beginning to sound bitter but he didn't care. "You've taken this long to call, why can't you wait a few more hours?"

"How have you been, Niklaus?"

Elijah's words threw him off guard. He frowned. "I've been well."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Are you?" Klaus questioned with a grumble.

He was greeted with the sound of an impatient sigh from the other end of the phone. "Of course I am." Elijah replied in reassurance. "What kind of brother would I be if I did not care for my family?"

"You do not care for us, Elijah. Do not lie. " Klaus spat angrily. "You have not even picked up the phone in years. Not to ask how I have been, or not even to ask how mother has fared. You have been off making plans to move to Bulgaria and graduate as a lawyer. All that matters in your life is your work, nothing more, nothing less."

"I am somewhat hurt by that accusation, little brother."

"It is the truth and nothing more." Klaus shot back in temper. "Why on earth would you phone now, after all this time?"

Elijah spoke in his deep, calm manner as he always had done. Where Klaus was fiery and unpredictable, Elijah was well-mannered and careful. He had always been a planner; someone who offered excellent advice and a sympathetic shoulder to cry on. Klaus had always considered him to be reliable, until the divorce. "All I wanted was to wish you well, Niklaus." His older brother replied smoothly. "I know the wedding is the following week, and I wanted to express my desires to see you there."

"There it is." Klaus realised. "An alternative motive. Did our dear father set you up to this?" He questioned heatedly. "Well you can tell him that I do not wish to see him marry a woman pathetic enough to be his wife. Although mother will be there, I shall not. I didn't take kindly to the insults he threw my way then, I do not intend to encourage them now."

"I only ask because I want to see you."

Klaus paused for a moment. Just when he thought he had every right to be angry, Elijah gave him a reason not to be. "Why do you want to see me now?"

There was another pause. It sounded as if Elijah was hesitating, but Klaus dismissed the thought. His older brother was never one to brace others, he only admired the honesty in people; not the lies. "Because I am going to be leaving soon, brother."

A pang in his chest broke out and Klaus pushed it away. "You're moving to Bulgaria." He said it plainly. A statement, not a question. Elijah made no effort to deny it either. Unsure of what to say, or how to feel, Klaus gripped the phone tightly and began to pace up and down the hall.

Eventually, Elijah ended the pause. "Katherine's job has co-aligned with a job offer from a law firm. It was everything we could've hoped for, Niklaus. I was going to wait and see what work I could get in America, but a spot opened, searching for newly graduated lawyers, and I received a spot on the team. If I want it; which of course, I do."

"But you don't speak Bulgarian."

"Мисля, че ще намерите правя."

Klaus was both impressed and confused. "What did you say to me?"

A low laughter broke out from the other end of the line. He could almost feel Elijah smiling. "I said 'I think you'll find I do'."

"I'm impressed."

Elijah chuckled again. "Well, what else do you think I've been doing for three years?"

"Studying, eating, and doing your homework like the good little lawyer you are." Klaus resisted the urge to grin. He wouldn't let his brother off the hook that easily.

"Niklaus, please." Elijah was serious once again. "I encourage you to come to the reception. If not for anything else, me. We can leave as soon as you arrive; I just wish to see you one last time before I leave. And with mother, Rebekah, you and I, it will be as it was all those years ago. I've missed you, little brother."

Inaudibly, Klaus considered it. He didn't want to see Mikael again. In fact, he was confident in never seeing him again but Elijah's offer was tempting. It would be wonderful to have the Mikaelsen siblings together again, even if it was only for one evening. And it would make his mother so happy; Klaus could practically imagine her smile at the news already.

"You promise I won't have to be in the same room as our father?"

"You have my word."

Klaus released a sigh. "Then I shall see you at the reception. Or at least outside the hall, waiting."

"Your decision makes me very happy, Niklaus." Elijah sounded positively bubbling which made Klaus smile. His brother was hardly ever expressive. "I must go now, brother, I have a dinner appointment with Katherine and her parents. And the Bulgarian people hold late arrivals under very steely gazes, so do pray that I arrive on time. Good luck in this…play you are performing in?"

"Who told you…?"

"Forgive her, Niklaus, but Rebekah couldn't miss the chance to tell me."

Klaus swore under his breath. "I expected no less."

"She sounded so excited for you, don't let her down." Elijah pressed carefully. "I'll see you in a fortnight. Good evening."

"Good evening to you too, brother."

With a surprisingly positive outcome, Klaus put the phone back on the hook and stared at it for a few seconds. It would be a lie if he said he hadn't missed Elijah. Hearing his elder brother's voice on the phone had been both a blessing and a curse. He didn't want to be anywhere near Mikael, but the idea of a reunion sounded too hopeful to pass up.

"So," Rebekah poked her head through her bedroom door with a cheerful grin. "Did I hear correctly that you're coming with us for the reception?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow at her lack of shame in eavesdropping. "You did."

A high-pitched, happy squeal later and Rebekah had withdrawn from her room and flung her arms around her older brother. "Oh, Nik, I'm so glad!" She hugged him tightly for a few more seconds. "It will be so lovely for the three of us to be together again!"

Drawn in, Klaus hugged her back. "I suppose it will be. Now grab your coat, or we'll be late to the school."

* * *

"So, just remember; if you forget a few lines or muddle up the order, mention that the dream girl was singing." Miss Branson was walking across the dressing room in dramatic strides. "Then Caroline will sing her final solo. Once again, if your mind goes blank; just ask her to sing for you. Understood?"

Klaus felt his jaw ache as Rebekah pulled a comb through his hair again. "Completely." He replied through gritted teeth. "I think that's enough brushing, sister."

"Not…quite…"

"Ouch! Jesus Christ, Bekah! Are you _trying_ to kill me?"

"There, now it's done!" He watched in the mirror as his younger sister stood back to admire her work. A triumphant grin was plastered on her face. "You look very handsome, Nik." She told him graciously.

Despite the pain, Klaus managed to smile. "Thank you."

"Just remember; do the best you can." Miss Branson told him with adamant flair. She flicked one of her many scarves across her shoulder. "We've been rehearsing for a while, and you've always done well. Imagine this as another practise, and everything will be over soon. I said this before, but I'll say it again." The drama teacher looked at him. "I know you had no say in participating, but you have really thrown yourself into this role, and I appreciate it." She said gratefully. "You have talent, Klaus. Now go out there and have fun, I'll see you afterwards."

Miss Branson left the room performing her usual preshow exhaling exercises, leaving Klaus feeling somewhat confident and at ease.

"I agree with the crazy scarf lady." Rebekah laughed. "You'll be fine."

"Thanks, little sister." He followed the bouncing blonde out of his dressing room door and backstage. All the lighting and stage helpers were rushing around, waiting for the curtain to open in a few minutes. He looked around, but Caroline was nowhere in sight. However, Klaus remembered that she didn't appear in the play until halfway. He began to fiddle with the straps of his 1920s-authentic braces.

"Uh uh, stop it!" Rebekah scolded him with a swatting hand.

A stage director stood in the centre of the gathered people. "Curtains lift in one minute, everyone!"

"Places, people!"

"Martin, put that microphone down!"

"Heather, Klaus, I need you ready to start. Over here, now!"

At hearing his name, Klaus followed Heather, who was now dressed in a dark green 'flapper' dress with gathered tassels. Her hair was styled in a careful ear-length bob. They were led to the right-hand side of the stage and told to go on stage as soon as the curtains lifted, as planned. The opening sequences consisted of their characters arguing about Tommy's new club so they had to be ready.

His co-star flashed him a lipstick smile. "Good luck out there."

He tipped his hat at the brunette. "You too."

"Curtains in 10, 9, 8 –"

"There's a full house out there, you know." Heather told him, clearly nervous.

"7, 6, 5, 4-"

He could see the audience through the tiny gap.

"3, 2, 1-"

Klaus offered one final look of encouragement to Heather. "Let's get this show on the road."

* * *

An hour later, and the play was on a smooth and steady roll. Klaus felt at ease with Heather as a co-star. Despite her girly tendencies in real life, her character portrayal as Beth was faultless. He found it much easier to be Tommy when she was such a wonderful Beth. So far, the play had followed his character, Tommy, as he went about setting up his new club with his loyal girlfriend, Beth, beside him. Various deals were made with businessmen, all of which Klaus praised himself for remembering most of the lines.

At the present moment, his character had hired another new singer for the club, much to the annoyance of Beth.

"You promised me you'd be careful, Tommy!" Heather was playing a more enraged Beth, and she was playing it perfectly. She threw her hands in the air. "You said no more schemes and deals with those good for nothing rich men, and you've gone and hired another singer!"

Klaus slotted in his line. "This is a sure thing, baby. I promise you, she'll be a money-maker, this one."

"I can't take this anymore." Heather stalked away from him, heading off-stage as written. She turned back to him half-way. "We are through, Tommy. If you want to run your little club, then you can, but you'll be doing it all on your own from now on. Because I won't be by your side any longer." Coming back over to where the bar stools had been set up, Heather grabbed her gloves off the counter and stared at him. "Good luck with this place, Tommy. I hope you drown in the booze you love so dearly."

Right on cue, Heather turned to walk out only to be blocked by another figure wearing a long, elegant black cape. Anyone else wouldn't have recognised the person underneath, but Klaus knew those blonde curls. It was Caroline, or Alana, finally on stage with him.

"You must be the new club singer." Heather stabbed a finger at the blonde. "You want some advice about this one?" She glared at Klaus again. "Stay far away." And with one final look, Heather's part in the play was over as she walked off the stage leaving Klaus and Caroline alone together.

He leaned against the bar, mid-thought.

_What's the next line? _

Fortunately, Klaus quickly remembered. "Can I offer you a drink?" His voice was uncertain, as he thought it should be.

From underneath the hood, Caroline nodded. He knew the next part like the back of his own hand. They had practised so often, it would seem stranger not to remember. Klaus remembered that he had to lean across the 'bar' and pour out a drink for her. Carefully, Klaus turned around…and almost dropped the drink.

Caroline had shrugged the cloak off her shoulders to reveal a stunning, shimmery blue V-necked dress that fitted her beautifully. It highlighted her figure; the curve of her hips and legs, and the slimness of her waist. Her hair tumbled down in tight curls, reaching the dip near her breasts. A glisten of pale eye shadow, slight rouge in her cheeks, and pale pink lipstick made her look like an angel under the lights. Her face was blissful, and a hint of a smile appeared in the corner of her mouth. Klaus felt something in his heart stir. She was truly breath-taking in every way imaginable.

"I know you."

He was grateful that his line somehow came out. It was exactly what he was supposed to have said. Earlier on in the play, Tommy had spoken to the audience about a recurring dream. And Alana, the new club singer, was supposedly the girl in his dreams.

Without noticing his surprise, Caroline stayed in character and took a seat at the front. "However do you know me, we've only just met?"

Klaus fought to remember his lines. "Forgive me, but you look like a dame I used to know." He paused when Caroline looked at him, her smile warming his heart. "Only it was in a dream."

"Tell me about this dream girl of yours."

"I…"

_Oh, no._

He'd forgotten the next line.

This was the part where Tommy described the dream. He told Alana that she was similar to a woman in his dreams who told him that good fortune was coming his way. He was meant to tell her that she seemed like good luck, and that he hoped she would enjoy working for him.

But of course Klaus could not remember a line.

"I can't really remember." He told Caroline honestly. She blinked once, but stayed still as he took the seat next to her. "But I do know this." They were centre-stage, all eyes on the pair. But Klaus only had eyes for the beautiful girl sitting beside him. "You're beautiful." Klaus told her softly. He had no idea where he was going with this, but it was the truth.

Caroline opened her mouth slightly to say something, but then closed it again. She seemed just as surprised as he was. A few moments passed, and Klaus had no idea what to do next. All he wanted to do was get off the stage and say the same words again, just the two of them, intimate and alone.

Out of the corner of his eye, Klaus noticed Miss Branson standing at the edge of the stage, just out of view, mouthing '_the song' _at him with wild eyes.

_Ah, yes._

Klaus cleared his throat, acting as if it was all part of the play. "In the dream, she sang to me." Caroline smiled. "Will you sing for me, and try to help me remember?"

And then the music began, and the panic was over.

Caroline looked out to the audience and began to sing.

Her voice was stunning. No hint of nervousness or hesitation, just a wonderful, pure voice sharing its sound;

_Welcome to the planet_

_Welcome to existence_

_Everyone's here_

_Everybody waits for you now_

_What happens next…_

Klaus watched her, spellbound as she broke out into the chorus.

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor_

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_Like today never happened_

_Today never happened before. _

The lyrics gave him courage, but Klaus had to hold on to the urge to close the distance and hold her in his arms. He wouldn't take this moment away from her. She looked so peaceful, singing to the audience with arms spread wide and happiness bursting from her smile. The rest of the song continued, and Caroline sung each line from her heart, just as Klaus knew the blonde would. But everyone else faded away. It was just Caroline singing with the piano accompanying. Every note and every line tugged at his heart. It was a moment he was more than happy to watch Caroline take from him.

The song must've finished, as Caroline sat back down again, the piano still playing softly.

As she stared across at him with blue eyes so bright, the main line from the song came back to him. 'I dare you to move.'

So he moved.

He closed the distance between them and brushed his lips ever so softly against hers. The touch was soft, warm and inviting all at once but he didn't press it further. After all, the script only said a small kiss. But it felt like so much more. It felt electric. It was dynamic and sweet at the same time. Fire and ice; sun, and the moon. And it had barely been a second's worth of touching. But Klaus had realised something in that tiny moment. He wanted to feel it again. If he had any doubts before, Klaus know knew that his lips were made to kiss hers.

As if caught in another universe, just the two of them, the curtains closed and enveloped them in almost completely darkness. He could just about make out Caroline's face in the dark, the sound of heavy applause drowning out their breathing. His heart felt close to breaking down so he pulled away ever so slightly, just enough to feel in control.

Caroline hadn't moved an inch since the kiss. He had a feeling that the blonde's current expression resembled a deer suddenly caught in headlights.

He spoke softly, "Caroline, are you-"

The scrape of a chair interrupted him, and Klaus was stunned when Caroline moved from the stool and fled. Listening to the sound of her fading footsteps, Klaus sat very still. He wasn't quite sure what to do next. Wanting to go after her and giving her space were two different things. By now, he could hear people in the audience, behind the curtain, starting to leave. Miss Branson, Heather and all the other actors and helpers were celebrating behind him as someone switched the lights back on.

Miss Branson broke away from the giddy students and took a step towards Klaus. She smiled warmly. "It has to be said, you weren't too bad out there, Mikaelsen."

He managed what he hoped was a grateful expression. "Thank you."

As the talking grew louder, and the cheering became more vibrant, Klaus knew he couldn't stick around much longer. He had to find Caroline. During the play, Klaus had seen her father sitting in the stands but he doubted that the blonde had fled to him straight away. His mind considered one idea after the next in a desperate attempt to locate her. She had to be somewhere in the school…

_The library!_

In a hurry, Klaus began to push his way past the other students and head into the school. Most of the lights were out with the exception of the offices of late-night working staff. A few hallway lights flickered on and off as he ran up the staircase, onto the first floor where the English and Humanities were taught. The library was hidden at the end of the corridor, out of sight but still considerably large. He paused to loosen the navy tie around his neck, and shrugged the suede jacket off his shoulders too.

As the library drew closer in sight, Klaus noticed the lights inside were still on. Either Mr Lockwood was reading past his bedtime, or someone else had turned them on. Perhaps a certain blonde fleeing from a kiss. He paused at the doorway. The library stretched across two floors through an old-fashioned winding staircase. Klaus rather liked the architecture of the place. But today, he wasn't there to admire the framework. Quietly, he walked up the stairs, heading towards the fantasy section where he hoped to find Caroline sitting in her usual cushion seat.

Klaus hadn't realised he was holding his breath until he saw her.

"Caroline."

She looked up. Her eyes were alight with burning emotion but he couldn't figure out what it was. She was still wearing the dress, her chest heaving as though the blonde had been running. Caroline's legs were tucked underneath her and she seemed to want to sink into the cushion and hide. Klaus took a step towards her. "Why did you run away?" He asked quietly.

Caroline cleared her throat. "I…I just wanted to be alone for a little while."

"I don't believe you."

He took another step forwards. "I think you were scared." His voice was calm, but her eyes widened with every step. "I think you ran away because you were scared of how you felt."

"No…it w-was just the performances wore me out." Caroline began weakly. "I was…tired."

"Tired?"

"Yes, tired."

"I don't believe you." Klaus repeated, a smile appearing. "Why won't you just admit it?"

That seemed to spark a reaction. Caroline clambered to her feet in an instant and closed the distance between them. She jabbed a finger at his chest, her eyes clouding with anger. "Why can't you just leave me alone? I never asked for you to kiss me, it was part of the play, if you remember. I have nothing to admit. Nothing!" Caroline paused for breath but the look was still stormy. She subconsciously flattened her palms against his torso and inched closer. Her voice was quieter, less certain now. "So why don't you take your _arrogance_ and your _charm_," She punctuated each word with a finger. ", away from me. I don't need them, and I don't need _you_ telling me how I feel. Do you hear me, Klaus? I _don't_ want you-"

Before she could finish her sentence, their lips crashed together.

Klaus couldn't seem to recall as to whether he had kissed her, or if Caroline had pulled him towards her, but either way they were kissing. And it was sensational. Dizziness broke out, but Klaus clung to the moment with all his strength. Her warm fingers tangled in his hair, grasping little strands at the back. He groaned as the sensation caused tingles across his neck and he reached with his left hand to cup her cheek. His right arm was locked around her waist, keeping every inch of her pressed into his chest. Pleasure blossomed inside as the pair explored each other openly. Klaus angled his body a fraction, and in the next moment Caroline was passionately pressed into the nearest bookcase. She sighed into his lips; warm, hot breath on his neck. Klaus deepened the kiss. Her lips were soft and yearning against his brazen ones, and he broke apart only to place butterfly kisses up and down her neck and the little crest in between her shoulder blades. He felt her melt into his arms with every touch.

"Klaus…"

Her voice was a whisper, and he groaned again.

Softly, he felt hands on his neck and felt Caroline pulling him back up again. She broke away, her chest heaving against his own. This time, she moved. Klaus was sure of it. Hands pressed to either side of his face, Caroline lowered her head and kissed him slowly, and sweetly. His eyes closed again, and the kiss became something else. Something new. Something innocent and cherished. In a way, it was their kiss. It had Caroline's sweetness and Klaus' roughness. The perfect balance of summer and winter, fire and rain. Klaus had never been kissed so tenderly before now.

But it was a passion he was willing to return.

They both pulled away this time, but only for well-deserved breath. Caroline's cheeks were flushed, and they reddened even further when she noticed her leg hooked around Klaus' waist. He was still pressed against her, with the blonde's back supported by the bookshelf. If anyone came round the corner, be it a teacher or a parent, it would look just as bad as they expected.

"We should…um…"

Klaus smirked, and kissed the top of her nose, where her freckles were gathered. "Yes, we should."

Caroline was right. It was hardly the time and place to continue.

He took a step back, but their hands were still linked. Carefully, Caroline unhooked her leg from his torso and brushed her hair back with a shaking hand. She then took a small step forwards, into his arms. She looked so guilty; Klaus couldn't help but let out a low chuckle. She hushed him by letting her head fall on his shoulder. His smile widened. Silently, Klaus kept an arm around the small of her back and smiled into her hair. He felt so peaceful. So…right, with her in his arms.

He knew everything wasn't black and white. He also knew that there would be more fighting. Many more arguments and heated anger. But this, right here, was their moment. It didn't matter that he knew that Bill Forbes was going to have a heart attack if he found out about the kiss.

_Well, the second kiss._ Klaus thought cheekily.

But he didn't care.

Caroline belonged in his arms.

And for now, _that_ was all he cared about.

* * *

**I KNOW...FINALLY, THIS KISS!**

**Apologises for the delay, but this was the longest chapter, and it took a while to write because I wanted to get it perfect!**

**Which I hope it was…? ;)**

**Leave a review if you have time. Until next time! **

**The song is 'Dare you to move' by Switchfoot - it is SUCH a Klaroline song.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: The response to the last chapter was incredible, it seemed like you all enjoyed their first kiss!**

**I start sixth form on Friday, so I'm currently a bundle of nerves about meeting new people and going to a new place. I struggle with shyness when talking to people, so it's a very big thing for me!**

**(The future...aghh, right?!)**

**But writing this fanfic has been one of the only things me sane, so this chapter came rather quickly after the previous one. But please don't expect updates to be as quick as this one was! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The morning after the play, Klaus was up early for a change. He'd even spent the past hour finishing off his painting from the other night. It was now officially complete and he couldn't have been happier with the finished result. Caroline looked beautiful in carefully selected shades that seemed to shimmer on the canvas. Pale blues and silvers for her clothes, soft peaches and pinks for her skin tone, and a mystical gold that he'd blended with a shade of lemon for her hair. And with a background of velvety stars, the painting was given an air of old-fashioned charm. Klaus couldn't wait to show it to the lovely muse who had inspired it.

As he came into the kitchen, Klaus couldn't help but smile and greet Esther and Rebekah with a quick hug, much to their surprise.

His younger sister smirked. "_Someone_ got lucky last night."

But even a cheeky comment couldn't ruin his mood. "Hush, little sister." He beamed at Esther. "Goodbye, mother. Have a wonderful day."

_I'm beginning to sound like a bloody Disney character._

He ignored his inner dialogue and revved up the Henley, his lips still pulled up into a rare smile. The drive to school seemed to pass by in a blink and as he arrived at school ten minutes later, Klaus chained it to the usual post and swung his backpack over his shoulder in good spirit. Nothing was going to ruin his good mood, today. Not when Klaus knew he would be seeing Caroline in a little while.

First period Physics and second period PE passed by at an extremely slow pace. His eyes flickered to the clock at least every ten or fifteen minutes, so often it was driving him mad. He made a decision to focus on the lessons in the vain hope that they would speed up. But they didn't. No matter how hard Klaus tried, even working out formulas and hurdle jumping couldn't distract.

"Are you feeling okay?" Stefan asked as they drew up to the last hurdle.

He nodded to his friend as sweat began to form in little beads across his forehead. "I'm fine, mate. Just a little preoccupied, that's all."

"Fair enough." The younger Salvatore ran alongside him. "Congratulations on not making a complete ass out of yourself last night. I was only there for the second half as Damon wouldn't let me borrow his car. Moron." Stefan muttered another curse. "But it has to be said that you were pretty awesome, buddy."

"So I've been told." Klaus joked.

The pair jumped the last hurdle on the track; Klaus clearing it easily and Stefan following on shortly. They both nodded to Mr Tanner to record their times before taking a seat at the benches to cool down. Klaus ran a hand along his forehead, chest heaving. Next to him, the Stefan stretched to pull his shirt up and over his head, revealing defined abs and a muscular chest. The guy was ripped, and that was putting it mildly. Klaus winked in response and Stefan shook his head, laughing at his friend. A few cheerleaders, including Elena, began giggling and pointing without shame.

Klaus nodded to them. "Careful, you might make Damon jealous."

"Who cares?"

"I thought you did. He's your brother." Klaus blinked in surprise. His friend was normally rather vague about his brother. "Has something happened, Stefan?"

There was a pause, and Stefan looked around, where Elena was talking to her fellow team-mates. "Apparently, Hayley decided to tell Damon that I have feelings for his girlfriend."

_That little snitch_.

"How did Damon react to that?" Klaus asked with concern. He highly doubted that Damon was pleased by the confession.

Stefan grimaced and rubbed the nape of his neck. "Not well."

"I thought not." Klaus felt sorry for the other boy. Although he still thought that Elena was not worth Stefan's heartbreak, Klaus would still support his friend if the pair started dating. However it all seemed very unlikely thanks to Hayley's meddling. Why did it even concern the brunette anyway? Klaus knew why though. It was because she enjoyed manipulating others and stirring trouble. He only recognised this because the other girl was a cattier, bitchier version of his old self. The version of him that used to cause trouble just for the sake of causing drama.

"Hayley's just causing grief because she can." He told Stefan carefully. "What did Damon actually say? Word for word?"

"He confronted me, before the play." The younger Salvatore explained. "That's why I was late. He asked me directly how I feel about Elena and I couldn't lie to him, Klaus, so I told him the truth." Stefan shrugged but his expression was pained. "My older brother clearly has no tolerance for honesty. He said if I dare to go near her anymore, he'll see it to it that I transfer to another school. And I do honestly believe he'd do that. I really do. So for now, I need to lay low for a little while. I don't want to cause anymore mess between us."

Klaus was shocked by what he had heard. "That's awful, Stefan. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. In a way, I asked for it."

"No, you didn't. Believe me; you were trying to be the better man." Klaus reassured his friend. "What you did was brave and honest."

Stefan attempted a weak smile. "Thank you, mate. I don't believe it, but I appreciate it."

"Though if you want my honest opinion then I believe they're not worth another second of your time. I'm not saying that I'm perfect, in fact I'm far from it, but I'll never judge you. I swear to it. I've had enough of some people around here being disrespectful. Hayley needs to learn to shut her damn mouth, and Damon and Elena needs to quit dragging you down. So screw them all."

With a chuckle, Stefan nudged him with an elbow. "I don't really want to _screw_ them…" He winked at Klaus.

"Very funny."

"Really though…thanks, buddy."

Klaus nodded, a gesture of understanding. "Any time."

He meant what he had said. Stefan was a decent, honest friend and Klaus couldn't believe that his friends were treating him this way. He knew that confessing your love for another girl wasn't exactly black and white but Hayley had stirred the whole thing up to start with. He was certain that Stefan wasn't going to pursue Elena if she wasn't interested, but she was. And the situation was complicated because of that. Stefan had been caught between trying to do the right thing and wanting to have a chance with her.

"That's it for today, everyone!" Mr Tanner jogged over to where the remaining runners had gathered on the benches. "Everyone lowered their times, so congratulations to all!" He nodded to the students. "Go and take a well-deserved time-out, _but_ that does not mean you can skip practise this afternoon. Now get the hell out of here!"

A few cheers broke out amongst the guys and both boys made their way back inside the changing room. As Stefan passed Elena, she wagged her fingers at him flirtatiously. But he didn't return the gesture and Klaus bit back a satisfying grin. _Good for you, mate, _he thought admirably.

* * *

Come lunch time, Klaus took out the English prep books from his locker and made his way to the library. Mr Heinemann, the Senior year English teacher, was well known for his love of tests. He had set up an English mock exam to be taking place in the hall tomorrow afternoon. The library was packed with students studying. Some were rushing around revising at the last minute whereas a few looked confident and prepared. Walking through the taken seats and tables, Klaus noticed a few people he knew. Hayley and Elena were sitting opposite each other, heads buried in practise papers. Both brunettes looked up as he walked by and Hayley narrowed her eyes like a prying cat. A meddlesome, distrustful, cat. But he didn't care. There was only one person Klaus was really looking for, and she wasn't anywhere near the pair of gossiping brats.

A few moments later, he found Caroline in her usual spot next to the fantasy section, a book propped under her freckled nose. The blonde was reading steadily and didn't even noticing his arrival.

"Hello, Caroline."

When she didn't look up, Klaus frowned. He noticed the title of the book she was reading and commented, "Are you re-reading it encase it comes up in the test?"

"No. I'm reading it because I enjoyed the book." She replied coolly.

Klaus kneeled down to her height, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Oh." – was all he said.

"Hm."

More frown lines gathered across his forehead.

This wasn't how Klaus was hoping to converse with her. Not that he was expecting the blonde to jump into his arms, but something nicer than…this. Something nicer than Caroline simply ignoring him unless it was completely necessary. Or only replying when a question was asked. But even then, Caroline's replies were cold and basic. Klaus had no idea what was happening. Her expression was unreadable as her blue eyes trailed across both pages before flicking a hand to turn to the next.

"Did I do something wrong last night?" He asked, becoming more distressed by the second. There was no reason to beat around the bush after all. Klaus had never been one to play it safe, and he wasn't about to start doing so now. He moved to sit crossed-legged on the carpet beside Caroline. She looked at him, scanning the other boy for the briefest of moments, and pursed her lips tightly.

"People can see, you know."

Klaus was beginning to grow irritated with each biting comment. "What do you mean, Caroline?"

"I mean," The blonde sighed and lowered her book, just a fraction to look across at him. ", I don't want that famous Mikaelsen reputation to be ruined."

Confusion began to surface. What was she trying to say? Klaus really had no idea what was sparking these thoughts, but he could tell by Caroline's expression that she wasn't happy. He didn't care about his reputation, and Caroline knew that. So why were these words being said at all? His mind couldn't comprehend it. Especially when she was looking at him with such visible coldness in her eyes. _Talk about mixed signals_, Klaus thought, biting his lip to hide the pain she was inflicting.

Klaus reached out and took the book from her hands, carefully as not to hurt her. He made sure Caroline was looking at him before he began. "You know I don't care about that so tell me this," He spoke honestly, hoping she could feel it too. "What's happened to make you act like this? I thought we…had something. We _do_." He corrected quickly, fumbling on words. "I know we do. You kissed me back last night, don't lie to me and say you didn't. You're not the kind of girl who acts hot and then cold, there must be a reason why you're angry with me."

She looked clearly upset now as Caroline's lip began quivering like a child who had lost their favourite toy. She opened her mouth before snapping it shut again. The blonde turned to look at the carpet. Something was conflicting inside her mind, the countless times she looked to be on the verge of speaking the truth but then looking away and deciding against it.

"Talk to me, Caroline." He pleaded softly. "Please."

"It's nothing."

Klaus ran a hand along the nearest book. It was clearly _not_ nothing or else she'd make more of an effort to prove it. But he had no idea what it could be. He backtracked in a hopeless attempt to figure out the root of the problem. He thought back to the performance. Last night, after they had left the library, Klaus had bid Caroline goodnight as she left with Bill-

_Bill Forbes. _Something clicked into place. _I wonder if daddy dearest had a word with his daughter about improper suitors. _It made completely sense. Klaus knew that Bill, whilst he didn't openly hate the boy, didn't exactly dote on him lovingly. Caroline had admitted his protectiveness over her, so the notion that Bill had warned Caroline against him was beginning to sound reasonable. _But surely Caroline would not let Bill talk her out of spending time with me? That's very unlike her; she has such a strong will. _His confusion began to build up again. _There must be something else._

"Did your father say something to you?"

"This has nothing to do with him!" Caroline snapped. But Klaus knew he had hit a nerve and had a feeling she meant the opposite.

"I'm right, I know I am. He told you to stay away from me, didn't he?"

An angry sigh came from the blonde, and Klaus watched helplessly as Caroline threw her bag over her shoulder and hitched the book under her arm, standing up quickly. "I don't have to listen to this." She muttered, and before he could say another word, she was walking down the staircase and out of the library.

"Damn it." Klaus hissed to himself. He clambered to his feet quickly, and ran after the blonde before he lost sight of her. He just couldn't leave it like this. Before, they had been so relaxed and at ease, now everything was changing and he had no idea why. Caroline only held a grudge when it was deserved and Klaus knew that better than anyone else.

He caught up with Caroline just outside the parking lot, having raced through the corridors trailing after a flash of blonde curls and an angry, female aura. Klaus charged down the steps, parallel to her. His head pounded in protest, a headache beginning to form, but he pushed it away for later. For now, the angry blonde was his priority. And learning the reasons for her new found coldness towards him. It wasn't complete coldness though, Klaus knew that. It was the expression and emotion of someone trying to be _deliberately_ cold. But that didn't make the feeling any less hard to take.

"Caroline, I just need to know." She spun around, mid-step, and froze; surprise written all over her beautiful face. "Please, talk to me. I need to know what he said to you, or what happened last night." Klaus followed as she spun around again and began moving towards the parked cars. He walked beside the focused blonde, refusing to give up. "You're hiding something from me, Caroline. I know you. I know that there must be a reason why you're looking at me…like you used to."

He noticed Caroline's hands tightening around the spine of her book. "This whole thing sounds like…it sounds like bull!" She spat. Even now, with a heart pumped full of anger, Caroline couldn't swear. But she didn't need to, her words were stabbing enough. As her car came into view, the blonde turned around with blazing eyes and fired on. "You're Klaus Mikaelsen. You go around persuading good people to jump into abandoned swimming pools and end up in hospital! You treat people like they're not worth your time. As if they're merely puppets and possessions for you to toy with in boredom!" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You don't care about me."

Klaus was taken aback by her words. He wrapped an arm around his tightening stomach, the stabbing feeling punctuating each fear. "You don't mean that. I know you don't." He reached for her hand, for a sign that she was lying. For a sign that all this was a sick joke. That it must be a misunderstanding. "I don't…understand."

"Well I don't understand you! I've said it before, and I'll say it for the last time. People cannot change, Klaus. You will always have that need for control, and that desire to have people cave at your feet like slaves. All because you're scared of how much it will hurt when they walk away. Well, guess what?" Her lip quivered, and hot tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably. "This is me walking away. I can't be with someone who is nice to me, but not to others. I don't know you. I don't think I'll ever know who you are, and that scares me."

"I know you're scared but I want to be with you, Caroline. And all the things I've done, they're in my past. I swear to you, that isn't me. You inspire me. I will never forget how I've treated people before. But what I can offer you is this; me. I can only offer what I have in this moment. If the things in my past do truly bother you then tell me to walk away right now and never look back. And I will. If you can look me in the eye and tell me you never want to see me again, then you won't ever have to. I know you care for me, and I know that feeling is scary and wonderful and crazy, but it's real. I won't let anyone take that away. Not your father, not my family, and not even you. So this is me, telling you that I want to fight for this. Be honest with me, and take a chance."

Caroline's face was streaked with tears as she looked up at him with wide eyes. "Why would I be scared?" She whispered.

"Because then you have nothing to hide behind. Not you're family, or your miracles, or even your faith. And believe me; I know how scary that is. You'll feel vulnerable and weak and completely out of control. It would just be you and I, together. With everything and nothing between us."

"I'm…sorry."

In two words, his chest tightened. A metal chain constricting what was left of his heart. Klaus couldn't move as he watched Caroline unlock her car and drive away from the school. He could see tears pouring from her blue eyes, but his own vision was blurred as well. He blinked once, twice, but when the tears fell, Klaus swiped a hand across his cheeks to rid them. Nothing was making sense. Thinking everything was okay was a complete lie. He realised that now. When everything seemed to be heading straight and narrow, a train wreck occurred from out of nowhere. The ordinary sound of students chattering and cars passing by dissolved into one; the only noise standing out was his heavy breathing. But the pain…the pain was indescribable. Knowing that he chosen to put his heart on the line, only to have it handed back; bruised and bloody. Caroline was gone now, but her presence had never seemed stronger.

That was when he decided to make his final move. Whilst his emotions were indeed clouding his judgement, Klaus recalled the captured image of Caroline during his speech. Her eyes had been swollen, red and tear-filled. Not exactly the image of a person happy to be rid of a friend. Her mouth had been pursed still, as if she was being forced to keep a secret. There _was_ something else being played out, behind his back. And Klaus made a vow to find out what it was, and as soon as possible. For now, he buried the sinking feeling in his heart and focused on that need for knowledge. He could deal with his heart later.

Bottling up the pain, he buried it somewhere unreachable and set out to find the one person who could fix or break this.

* * *

"Forgive me for interrupting your practise but do you have a minute to speak with me, father?"

Bill Forbes looked up from where he was standing, behind the alter. At this time in the afternoon, the church was completely empty when Klaus arrived. He noticed the reverend watching him with an expression caught between curiosity and caution. The older man pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. He looked surprised to see him but also somewhat pleased, as if it had been a test. Like how knights used to go on quests to win the hearts of their fair maidens and please their Lord fathers.

"I won't take up much of your time." Klaus added with what he hoped was a friendly smile.

The reverend tilted his head to look at him properly this time. Under a scrutinising gaze, Bill seemed to be in an internal battle as to whether it would be easier to send Klaus out or to hear him out. "Apologies, son, but I'm rather busy at the moment." The reverend even gestured to the bible open on the table. "Perhaps if you could arrange an appointment…"

Klaus wasn't giving up that easily. "I'll make this quick."

"You are a persistent young man, I'll give you that." The reverend almost looked amused. "Very well," He surrendered with a wave of his hand. "How can I help you, Mr Mikaelsen?"

Now that he had permission to go ahead, Klaus was unsure. He had it word perfect before he arrived, but now the words seemed jumbled together. He wrung his hands together awkwardly for a few moments. Clearing his throat, he decided it was now or never to ask. "I want to speak with you about your daughter, sir."

_That_ captured the reverend's interest. The older man looked at him through his glasses with narrowed eyes. "Continue."

"I just want you to know, sir…that I care for her. Very much. And I have this worry that I'm going to lose her before I've even had the chance to spend time with her." Klaus looked at the reverend openly. "Sir, I know this may seem very blunt, and I understand that God is an important part in her life, but I want to be as well. And I fear that she is pushing me away. Maybe because of you."

Bill looked away, towards one of the stain glass windows. He swallowed, as if in discomfort, and tore his eyes away to look back down at Klaus. "I don't want to lose her, son." He spoke so softly that Klaus almost misheard. "I've already lost my Elizabeth; I cannot lose my own daughter as well. I must keep her close to me, and protect her like I should have done with my wife." The reverend's hand moved to wear his cross hung from a necklace. "God teaches us many things, Mr Mikaelsen, but dealing with loss cannot be taught."

Gratitude at Bill's honesty enveloped Klaus like an embrace. He knew the reverend was not overally fond of him, yet the older man's decision to share such personal thoughts was welcoming. He wanted to say something that mirrored that honesty so he thought for a few moments and replied, "I care about your daughter very much, sir."

"I know you do, son."

Klaus stared in surprise and when he spoke, his voice almost gave out. "How do you know?"

"Because you look at her the way I used to look at my Elizabeth." Bill smiled at the memory, the look in his eyes, distant. "And I see that same protectiveness in your eyes that I have for my daughter. We have many things in common that may surprise you, Mr Mikaelsen. Our affections for Caroline being one of them. But know this as well," The reverend lowered his voice, not quite a threat but definitely a reminder to take his words seriously. "If you hurt my daughter in any way, you will have God to answer to."

In that moment, watching Bill's eyes growing darker, Klaus was almost tempted to start believing in God. He admired the honesty that the reverend had offered him. It was clear that Bill _had_ said something to Caroline and part of Klaus felt relieved. He had never seen even an ounce of kindness in his own father's eyes to compare it to; but he knew that the reverend meant every word. And Klaus also recognised his intention to be honest, not to threaten him instead.

"I understand, sir." Klaus inclined his head. "Thank you."

The reverend turned, but half-way the older man paused and looked back around. He lifted his gaze one again and when he spoke, the reverend sounded troubled. "And in answer to your unspoken question, I did speak with Caroline last night. You must forgive me as I was only doing what I thought was best for her." Bill's lips twitched into a smile. "Now I see that I may have judged you too quickly. However it was not only my words that are causing her affliction to the matter."

Klaus narrowed his eyes. "What else did she say?"

"I…it is not my place to speak of such issues." The reverend hesitated, and began flipping through the bible again.

Klaus considered pressing the topic, but decided against it. The conversation with Bill had gone wonderfully, in his eyes. True enough, Caroline had spoken to her father last night and Klaus was glad to know the reason behind the blonde's sudden change in her feelings towards him. However, there was something else. Just as he had also suspected. But what was it? Klaus had a feeling that Bill knew, but was afraid to say. But Klaus was confident that the reverend would speak to his daughter later, and things between them would be smoothed over soon enough. Or that was what Klaus hoped for.

Realising the conversation was over; Klaus bid the reverend goodbye before leaving. "Thank you, sir."

Bill looked up long enough to nod. "I appreciate you coming to see me, son. I'll see you again in church this weekend."

* * *

Klaus waited the rest of the week for Caroline to muse things over. The wait was unbearable but also necessary. Without another thought, he buried himself into studying and painting to distract his mind from calling round the Forbes house or calling the blonde directly. But if space was what she needed, then space was what Klaus would give her. After all, she was worth it. Worth all the time and the godforsaken waiting. The English exam came and went, and Klaus even managed to score a B+ despite his lack of revision. An assembly was called for all the Seniors regarding Universities and plans for after graduating. It had peaked his interest, and Klaus found himself researching Art schools and courses whilst waiting for Caroline to come around. He'd never even thought about post-high school, but a lot of things seemed to be changing now.

On Friday evening, Rebekah pushed into his room and noticed. "Ooh, look who's going off to some fancy Art school in Prague!"

"It has interesting course material." Klaus defended.

"So does the local university a few miles down the road." His younger sister bit back with a smile. "Why are you so keen to leave me all the time?"

"Oh, Bekah." Klaus realised what she was getting at and turned in his chair. He watched the blonde pluck at a few loose threads in his bedcovers. "This has nothing to do with you, I swear. It has everything to do with my desires to travel and study abroad." He gave an honest smile. "Not because I want to abandon my family."

She tilted her head, hair falling into her eyes. "Truthfully?"

"Truthfully." He nodded.

"I think I believe you." Rebekah grinned, her usual playful smile. He watched with quiet interest as his little sister's eyes circled around his room until her gaze came to a rest on his newly finished painting. The one of Caroline watching the stars. It had been such a pain to finish, but Klaus had finally worked out the colours to perfection. The brush strokes were finally gentle enough. The mood of the painting was finally as he had hoped. It was simple yet elegant and graceful.

Rebekah's jaw dropped open. "It's beautiful, Nik." She murmured in appreciation.

"Thank you, little sister." He smiled widely as she ran a hand along the edge. "It took a while to finish, but it's one of my best so far."

"You should give it to Caroline."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me, Nik." With the knowing look of someone who knew it too well, Rebekah sighed. "Men really do know nothing about women, or so it would seem." She sighed again, and turned herself around to face her perplexed older brother. "You know the saying, 'a picture speaks a thousand words'? Well, this painting says so much more. I understand if you want to keep it for your collection, but I know that Caroline would really appreciate it, I'm sure of it. Take it to her, Nik." Rebekah stood to leave, and paused at the doorway. "Thoughtful presents are a hit with anyone, you know."

Klaus shook his head fondly. "Stop being so intelligent, woman."

"It's not possible, dear brother."

He chuckled as his sister flicked blonde hair across her shoulder dramatically, and walked out the door, laughing as she went. But the idea that Rebekah had shared was growing on him, fast. Staring at the painting for a few more moments, Klaus decided that he had given Caroline enough time to come to him. So maybe the blonde was waiting for him to come to her. Perhaps she was looking outside the door at that very moment. Or waiting in the graveyard for him to turn up so they could reunite. The thought of her waiting for him was too much. He hit a few buttons on the laptop and reached for the canvas.

If Caroline wasn't expecting Klaus to turn up, then the blonde was about to be in for a very big surprise.

_I'm on my way, little bookworm._

* * *

Fifteen minutes later and Klaus was stuck in traffic. _Bloody typical, _he grumbled. _Of all the possible nights…_

He began tapping impatiently against the handlebars on the bike. He wanted this to be a short journey, not a long one that gave him more time to back down from what he was about to do. That was the other problem about time. It made you reconsider everything. Klaus was beginning to consider turning around at the nearest point, when the traffic lights flashed green, inviting him onwards.

Arriving at the Forbes house five minutes later felt like a blessing. He had been moments away from giving up and ending this absurd quest, considering leaving the painting on the doorstep. But then the low-lit porch swung into view and Klaus breathed a sigh of relief. He had made it this far. It seemed a waste to turn back now.

Turning around, he carefully placed the motorbike against the gate, his back to the house. He didn't have the chain so he knew he had to be quick. Whilst the area wasn't known for robbery, it wasn't a risk Klaus was willing to take. Though the bike was traceable, he had made certain of it. With a strange sense of insecurity, Klaus reached across and loosened the straps that kept the canvas in place on the seat. The canvas slid smoothly into his hands as if pushing Klaus to hand it over. Well, it was now or never. He realised that he'd never given anyone one of his paintings before, and panic crept into his thoughts. What if she hated it? Or was offended by the way he had painted her? This newfound lack of confidence terrified him.

_Pull yourself together._ Klaus reminded himself. He ran a hand along the rim. _It's only a painting, for God's sake._

And with that final thought encouraging him, Klaus exhaled; working up the nerve to follow the path leading up to the front door. If Bill answered, he'd ask for Caroline. _Or how about I just hand the painting to him?_ Klaus only realised then just how idiotic he sounded, even in his thoughts. It was a painting. It wasn't an engagement ring. It wasn't a puppy. It was simply a canvas splashed with colours and pant strokes.

He turned around, began walking up the footpath…

…and collided with Caroline as she closed the front door.

They both froze, suddenly tangled together with her pounding chest pressed up against his.

"What are you _doing_ here?!"

He realised instantly how unintelligent the comment was.

"Klaus?!" The blonde exclaimed with wide eyes. She raised an eyebrow at his remark. "This is _my house!"_

"I know, I know. I wasn't thinking!"

Caroline let out a little giggle. "Clearly!"

"Where are you heading?" He found himself asking. Taking her outfit in, Klaus noticed that the blonde was dressed for the night with a brilliant red coat wrapped tightly around her figure. "I don't think the church is open at this time of night." Teasing Caroline happened so naturally. "I'd recommend confessing your sins to a bartender, they're extremely helpful, or so I've found."

She folded her arms across her chest. "Once again, your sense of comedic timing never fails to impress." The blonde took a small step back, eyeing him carefully. "I was…um…coming to see you, actually." She admitted nervously. "I wanted to speak to you. Well, actually I've wanted to speak with you for a while but I…uh…couldn't find the right time."

"No one teaches you this, but I'll tell you a secret, Caroline." He leaned in an inch or two. "There's never a right time." Once again, he couldn't read Caroline's expression. Her eyes were honest, but the gesture of folding arms across your chest meant secrecy and vulnerability; as if she didn't want him prying into her life. Making a decision to move the conversation elsewhere, the blonde took a seat on the swing chair rocking a few feet away. It was brown with speckles of yellows and oranges across the edges.

Klaus came to a stop in front of where Caroline sat and brought the canvas out from behind his back. "I brought you a present." He said, somewhat shyly.

The blonde tilted her head, activating the curious kitten mode. She reached for the painting and held it gingerly in her hands before turning it over. The reveal was nerve-racking. Would Caroline make a face and discard it to one side, or would she simply thank him and tell him to leave. Klaus watched the blonde's expression for a sign. Anything to let him know how the present had gone down.

What he hadn't expected was for Caroline to flash him the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen. If it was a 80s movie moment, Klaus felt certain that his heart would've skipped a beat. It was the smile of a girl who'd been given a dream and woke up to find it had come true. It was a smile so delightful and thankful that Klaus felt a similar one break out on his own face. Her smile warmed his heart and healed his scattered thoughts. Every worry; torn into tiny scraps of memory paper. Caroline was looking at him like he'd handed her the world. And he had never felt so alive.

Just when he thought the moment couldn't be more perfect, Klaus watched as Caroline placed the painting onto the seat and without warning, jumped into his arms with the grace of a prima ballerina. She was as light as a feather but the lack of preparation sent them both sprawling onto the floor with Caroline lying on top of him; her lips now mere inches from him. And then they were brushing against his; opening his mouth so that her tongue moved ever so lightly against his bottom lip. Klaus felt his hands weave into her hair, pulling her closer into his embrace. He could also feel Caroline hands scrambling with his shirt. Sparks flickered across the muscles there and Klaus sighed at the sensation. Warmth spread across his lips as Caroline continued to kiss every inch of them. He was trying not to laugh, but Klaus could feel Caroline smiling against him and the feeling was so beautifully human that he wanted to both kiss and laugh at the same time. In the end, the laughter won out. Klaus smirked as the blonde looked down at him, strands of hair coiling into his neck like springs. But their separation lasted only for a few seconds before their lips found each other's and the game began all over again.

After a few minutes, they both pulled away. Klaus looked around, and Caroline followed his gaze. The pair had only just realised they were lying down and kissing. On a porch. Where anyone could see them. And where Bill could come out at any moment. He suspected that that wouldn't end well. Reluctantly, Klaus let Caroline pull him to his feet again, but not before stealing another quick kiss. He leaned across and pulled her in again; this time, the pair savoured it like a final breath. When the kiss was about to stop, Klaus teased her by brushing his lips softly over the bottom of the blonde's; nipping Caroline's flesh gently in between his teeth as he pulled away. But he paused for a moment, relishing in the intimacy. When she sighed, he couldn't help but smirk, his confidence now fully returned.

"I take it you liked the painting." Klaus was the first to speak, his voice thick and husky.

Caroline seemed to be completely out of breath as she nodded; a blissful look covering the blonde's face. "You could say that." Her hands began to run along his collar, tracing patterns against the small of his neck at an agonisingly slow pace. The delicacy of her touch was sending Klaus over the edge. He held back a groan but Caroline's little smile said she was winning.

"So," He asked, running a gentle hand up and down her arm. "What do you want to do now?"

Caroline chewed her bottom lip, though it was already swollen from the kissing. "I don't know…" She looked up at him, and despite their kissing session being anything but innocent, her expression was filled with worry and caution. When it came down to the talking part, Klaus realised that Caroline was always unsure. Her voice was quiet as she asked, "What do _you_ want to do, Klaus?"

_Oh, you shouldn't have asked that, sweet Caroline._

He slowly wove an arm around her waist, shamefully eyeing her curves until they rested on her beautiful face. "I want to take you upstairs, and never let you out of my arms." He began silkily. Her mouth dropped open into a small 'o', her pale cheeks flushing. But the blonde showed no sign of moving. "I want to slowly kiss every inch of your lips, and you face, and make my way down your shoulders and neck." With a teasing hand, Klaus made a little path down her coat. "I want you, Caroline. I want your heart, and your soul…and your body."

She was speechless for a few moments and Klaus worried that he had pushed her too far. Caroline's chest pushed up, against his, as if screaming for touch. Her pupils were dilated with the same want that he felt, but the blonde did not move a muscle. She looked frightened by her own desire and he immediately felt guilty. Her shyness must have taken over as after a while, she took a step back. Not out of his embrace completely, but just regaining a little personal space. "I…I can't do…this."

His heart sank. "Caroline, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you, I'd never do that."

"Oh, no! Please don't misunderstand my feelings." She rushed out the words, as if wanting there to be no confusion this time. "It's not that I don't want to, believe me I do!" Her cheeks flashed red. "I mean…I think I do. But that's really not the point; the _point_ is that…this isn't me." Caroline was stammering now, speaking too fast to comprehend. "I like you, Klaus. I really like you. And you were right, what you said before, that it scares me. Because it does. But that's not why I don't want to…do _this_."

Klaus was trying to keep an open mind but the blonde was truly confusing him now. "This?" He gestured between them. "You don't want…this?"

"I really want this!" Caroline cried helplessly, something was stopping her from revealing the whole truth. "But…I can't…I can't…" She struggled again, and gripped a handful of curls in her hand in frustration. Caroline looked up at him, pleadingly "I can't give myself to you the way you want me to!"

_So, this was what it was actually about, _Klaus realised with a start. _This is really about sex._ Although, it _was_ all being to make sense now. How Caroline had begun to freak out when he had spoken huskily. She had become worried that Klaus wouldn't be interested in a relationship if they wouldn't be sleeping together. _Well there's a thought I have to correct, and fast._ He thought kindly.

"Caroline, listen to me." He rubbed the insides of her palms with his fingertips. "I enjoy spending time with you, that's the truth. Now, if you want our friendship to be exactly that, a friendship, then I will say no more. And if you want that friendship to grow into something more, then I am completely fine with that as well. More than fine." Her lips twitched into a smile as he massaged tiny circular patterns in her hands. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you away, that wasn't my intention. I want to be with you in any way you chose and I promise to respect your decision either way." A new thought came to mind. "Is this about…God?"

"In a way, yes." Caroline began after a pause. She looked down, towards their entwined hands. "But it's also about me, and my beliefs. I want to be with you, Klaus. But…consider me old-fashioned, I only see sex as something that should be between a man and wife. I know that hardly anyone supports it anymore, but I do." The blonde looked away, her lower lip trembling. "If that's too weird for you, I understand."

Klaus was shocked by the growing disappointment in Caroline's expression, as if she was preparing for him to walk away at any moment. Though after thinking for a little while, he could see Caroline's possible reasons for thinking it. Before, sex was the only thing he used relationships for. It wasn't something he used to express love, which was the way Caroline viewed it. They might as well have been talking about two different acts entirely. Her views had surprised him, but not horrifyingly so. They were simply different, and took a little longer to sink in.

But Klaus understood.

He didn't want Caroline to think that sex was all he wanted from her, so he lifted her chin up until her eyes met his. "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Inside, and out. And I can't deny that doesn't affect me physically, but it does. However, I'm willing to wait, for you. I don't want our time to be spent in uncomfortable silence because we both want different things. I want to talk to you, and listen to you laugh and scream at me when I make mistakes. And that's all that matters to me, Caroline. This moment. Here, now. Don't think about all the little things that could go wrong, because they'll tear us apart before we've even started. Sex is what holds other couples together. But us?" He smiled as tears formed in her misty, blue eyes. She was smiling now. "We'll be different. We'll redefine the definition. Our chemistry and the friendship we've built up will keep us together. And our differences will only make things more…feisty."

Caroline laughed at that; a bubbling, musical sound that lifted his spirits. "Indeed, they will." As if finally giving into him, Caroline stepped back into his arms. "I can't give you words as beautiful as the ones you gave me." She began sadly. "And I can't give you painting that steal your breath away." She gave a little, quiet laugh. "But I can give you this. Time. I can offer you my hand, and my patience, and maybe even my heart, one day. If you earn it, of course." The blonde laughed again, more believably and happier this time, and Klaus resisted the urge to kiss her again. "This is all new to me, but…I want to try, with you."

Without realising it, Klaus exhaled, releasing the breath he hadn't known he was holding. "Can I kiss you?"

Caroline smiled a sweet, adoring smile. "You don't have to ask to kiss me, genius."

"Hush, little bookworm."

Closing the little distance between the two, Klaus placed one hand to her cheek and dipped Caroline into a low kiss. She giggled against his lips, causing him to shiver as the sensation tickled his skin. The kiss deepened, their lips melting into the others' like a flame to a candle, and something was born from their touch. A kind of understanding. Trust and agreement. That this moment was theirs, and no one else's. Caroline felt it, and so did Klaus. There would be people and trouble to be caused, but something told him that this was something worth fighting for.

When he finally pulled back, it was to say goodbye. "I think a goodnight in order, girlfriend."

Caroline giggled. "Indeed it is…_boyfriend_."

"I'm so glad we've reached an understanding." He joked playfully, and leaned forwards for another quick kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow, Caroline."

He watched her leave, suddenly realising that the smile lighting up the blonde's face was because of him. She opened the door, somewhat reluctantly, and stepped inside with one final look. Klaus winked and her laughter floated through the air and stayed with him the whole drive home.

* * *

**Wow, this chapter became so fluffy towards the end, but I couldn't help it, blame Klaus and Caroline!**

**Aren't they adorable? ;)**

**So…they're finally together! *cheers and dances***

**As a special thanks to all those who reviewed, I uploaded this sooner than I expected – those reviews really encouraged me, thank you my lovelies. (Keep 'em coming!) The next chapter will focus on the wedding, where a bit of family drama will occur for Klaus (eek!) but fortunately, he'll have someone to lift his spirits. I wonder who…**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Eugh…sixth form has given me SUCH a massive load of homework from the first week already! **

**I will continue writing this story, and promise to update as often as I can BUT I will be putting all my college work first so please don't yell at me for random updates! :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"So you'll come with me?"

"Let me get this right. You're inviting me to Massechutes to your father's wedding reception where I'll get to meet your brother and father at the same time? Do you even have to ask?" Caroline beamed. "Of course I want to go!"

Klaus flashed a smile at her as relief flooded over him. "I'm glad." He replied honestly. "But with any hope, you won't get to meet my father. Trust me, you don't want to. And I cannot promise you excitement but if you're lucky, you may get to see some family drama unravel. There's normally Mikaelsen drama whenever we're all together. Are you _sure_ you want to come?"

A gentle wind was whipping around the pair and Klaus reached across to pull Caroline's scarf across her shoulders. They were standing outside the school, a little too early for first bell, waiting for first period to be called. Walking in hand in hand, they'd already been met with a few curious stares and surprised glances; a few from teachers as well as prying students. But Klaus was in such a good mood that he wouldn't have minded if the whole school lined up to ask questions and take notes. _They can stare away_, Klaus thought as Caroline flashed him another beautiful smile.

"I'm sure, and nothing you can say will change my mind."

"Nothing at all?"

"_Nothing_."

Klaus hid a sly grin and leaned forwards to kiss the blonde. He drew the kiss out for as long as he could, relieving and adding pressure to the touch as Caroline's lips lingered on his. Klaus felt his eyes close as her hands gently slid around his neck. It wasn't exactly an Oscar-worthy kiss, but it had definitely fulfilled its purpose. Eyes now opened, this time Klaus allowed a grin to appear as he watched Caroline's expression transition from bliss to disappointment. "Are you sure?" He repeated.

"I hate it when you tease me." Caroline grumbled in response.

"I won't do it again."

The blonde's face fell. "I didn't say that I don't _want_ you to do it again…" A playful smile danced on her lips.

Klaus reached for her and snaked an arm around Caroline's waist. "Look who's teasing who now!" He winked. She answered by ducking her head and laughing, the sweet sound weaving its usual, musical way into his heart_. I swear I'll never get tired of listening to that sound._ He was about to kiss her again when the bell rang. Neither of them wanted to part, but school was calling so Klaus quickly pressed a kiss to her cheek and the pair split up, heading off into different blocks in the building; Klaus to the Science block, and Caroline to the Languages section.

* * *

At break time, Klaus walked directly into a worried looking Stefan. The other boy had been coming out of another room and looking down at the ground. He had collided with his friend head on. Klaus was annoyed, then surprised. "Are you alright, mate?" He asked the younger Salvatore carefully.

"Yeah." Stefan looked up, his face pale and his eyes troubled.

"Are you sure?"

"No."

Klaus raised an eyebrow, and gestured to his friend to follow him around the block until they were alone on the outskirts of the back field. Then, he turned to Stefan and asked, "What's happened? I know something is bothering you otherwise you wouldn't have been running into people. That isn't you, mate. So tell me what's going on."

"Elena broke up with Damon."

"What?" Klaus blinked in surprise, incredulous. "When did this happen?"

"About an hour ago. I saw them together in registration, and Damon did _not_ look happy…" Stefan swallowed. "Then Hayley found me a few minutes ago and confirmed it. She said…she said that Damon is pissed. He probably thinks that I asked Elena to do it. I didn't!" Stefan added quickly. He sighed and began pacing up and down the path. "We haven't been on good terms lately, and that's putting it mildly, but I thought all this was over. I even think I've managed to move on, or at least I'm almost there! But now Damon thinks I've gone behind his back. I don't know what to do…"

"Hey, listen to me." Suddenly, Klaus noticed his friend's decent into worry and guilt so decided to help him out, before it spiralled into conflict. "Elena chose to end it. Not you, Stefan, _she_ did. If Damon's smart he'll realise that, and if he isn't…then he'll have me to deal with. If he wants to make a move, I'll be waiting."

"I really don't know what my brother is capable in a fit of anger. He's always been a loose cannon; always had that sort of built up anger waiting to be unravelled. To be honest with you," His friend paused to shoot an anxious look at Klaus. "In fact, I'm more worried about whether or not he'll leave Elena alone."

"If Damon still wants Elena, then he definitely won't hurt her." Klaus reassured. He was also worried about the situation but had a feeling it wouldn't turn out to be as big as Stefan feared. With any luck, Damon would shout and throw a few punches at the nearest freshman. He also expected that Elena would be back with the elder Salvatore by the end of the week. Klaus realised that his friend still looked caught up. "Stefan, listen to me," He began kindly. "Trust me, Damon won't make a move on Elena, I'm sure of it. Just…give him some space for a few days, okay? And then we can see how it all plays out."

After a few moments, Stefan looked at him and sighed again. His expression was still concerned but a grateful smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "You should be a councillor, buddy. You give good advice." As if shaking himself together, the younger Salvatore brother nodded to himself and smiled wider. "Okay. Let's not over-think this."

"Excellent." Klaus smirked and nudged his friend's shoulder. "I've got your back, mate."

* * *

"Where are you taking her? What about that cute little Italian restaurant the other side of town? What's it called…Luigi's…Lance's? Anyway, a few girls and I went there the other night; it'll be perfect for a first date, I promise! Or, are you going to stick to the normal movie and a late night walk through the park? Though in your case, it would be a romantic stroll down the cemetery!"

Klaus chuckled. "You know me so well, little sister." He moved across the sofa, offering Rebekah the seat next to him. As soon as Klaus had arrived home, his little sister had been on his case about where he was going to take Caroline for the evening. "But actually, I wanted to take her somewhere more special. I know everyone says that but Caroline really doesn't seem like the type of girl who likes that whole dinner-and-a-movie business. So I'm going to do something a little different. There's a shooting star that's meant to pass by Mystic Falls tonight, so I _am_ going to take her out for dinner but I thought we could have a picnic instead. And then watch the star fall afterwards. It's meant to come across at around ten o'clock so it should be clear. I don't know…" Now that Klaus had said it out loud, the idea sounded like something straight out of a cliché romance novel. He shook his head, annoyed. "That's bloody insane. You're right, Bekah, I'll take her to that Italian place…"

A quick hand reached out and slapped him.

"_Bloody hell!"_

"_That_ was for thinking about changing your mind." Rebekah looked amused at his expression, completely guilt-free. "Trust me, it's a lovely idea. In fact, it's wonderful. I just wanted to slap that idea right out of your mind. What is it with men not realising how lovely they are? I mean, don't get me wrong, some guys are just _complete_ assholes that are never going to change, but some are so adorable and sweet and they don't even realise it!" She sighed. "Why can't things be as obvious to others as they are to you?"

Klaus was surprised and raised an eyebrow at her love-struck tone. "Is this about Stefan?"

"What?! NO!" Rebekah squealed, and Klaus smirked, knowing that every word his little sister said was a lie. "This is _not_ about Stefan Salvatore, why would you even think- why would you say that?!" Rebekah let out another high-pitched sound that reminded him of a kitten being stepped on. "He's clearly infatuated with Elena Gilbert, so why would I waste any of my time on him? You think you know everything, don't you? Well, you don't! So leave it alone, okay?" She looked positively panicked now and Klaus wanted to howl with laughter.

He held up a hand in surrender. "Very well-"

"STOP TALKING ABOUT IT!" Rebekah screeched with all the elegance of a hyena.

"JESUS CHRIST, I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING!"

"Good!"

"Fine!"

Klaus began to grit his teeth, caught somewhere between laughing and aggressively sighing, and made a start to leave the room. He smirked. _Wait a minute, not so fast_. A need for payback emerged so he stopped at the lounge door and turned around to face Rebekah. His grin was completely visible now. "I'll be sure to let Stefan know that my baby sister has a crush on him."

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

* * *

"I'm sorry I was late."

"Is everything okay?""

"Esther had to talk Rebekah out of throwing plates at me, that's all."

Caroline frowned, looking bemused and concerned at the same time. "Is that an ordinary welcome in the Mikaelsen home? It sounds…unusual."

"It's my own fault, I was teasing her."

"I warned you that women do not enjoy teasing."

Klaus couldn't help but cheekily add, "I seem to recall that _you_ enjoyed it."

"I am going to ignore that remark."

His smile grew.

"So, where are we going?" She looked back at her front door for a few moments, as if waiting for something. Klaus worried for a brief moment whether Bill would abandon God and run outside with a pick axe. He quickly shook the disturbing image from his mind. Meanwhile, Klaus' date was panicking. "Please tell me we don't have to go somewhere…posh. I'm not exactly dressed for dinner at a restaurant." Caroline looked down at her outfit. She was dressed in ballet pumps, black jeans and a grey and black jumper that reached the curve of her hips. Her hair snaked down her shoulders in usual elegant curls.

"I think you look beautiful, Caroline." He murmured softly.

"Hm, well I disagree." Before he could protest, the blonde added, "But I appreciate the comment."

Klaus found Caroline's strange way of accepting compliments bizarre yet gracious. She never forthrightly waved them off, though she never agreed either. It was almost as if she didn't like the idea of compliments at all. He frowned. "Did I make you uncomfortable?"

"Oh, no! Forgive me." She ducked her head, cheeks flushing. "I just…I find compliments to be a foreign concept to me, that's all."

"You've never been told that you're beautiful before?"

"Of course I have!" He looked surprised by her definite reaction until Caroline's lips twitched. "…by my father and my uncle Jimmy." The blonde looked away into the distance. "Though I do also believe that women should not have to be told they're beautiful to _be_ beautiful. I mean, shouldn't we be comfortable in our own skins without needing a man to tell us otherwise?" Klaus raised an eyebrow and her cheeked became redder. He only meant the gesture to show his interest but Caroline held up a hand in embarrassment and began to speed up in a rush. "I sound terribly ungracious now, oh my…I'm really sorry, I wasn't trying to come across all high and mighty, I only meant that….well…that…."

He kissed her; softly, sweetly and tenderly. When he pulled back, his left palm caressed her cheek with a softness of silk and the sensation of velvet. "Caroline Forbes, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes upon. And I am not saying that in hope that you melt into my arms, but simply because it is the truth. I pray one day that you see the same beauty as the rest of the world does. I don't mean to embarrass you or startle you, but you would be beautiful even if you were not. Because the kindness in your heart, and the warmth in your smile, make up your beauty. Everything else is merely there to highlight that beauty."

"I…no words." Caroline whispered with a smile.

Klaus gave a little chuckle and winked. "Have I rendered you speechless, little bookworm?"

"Indeed you have, Mikaelsen."

He reached for that familiar loose strand of blonde hair and gently curled it behind her ear, his fingertips delicately brushing against the lobe of her ear. She shivered in his hands and Klaus bit back a smile. Regrettably, he knew that time was running out for his plans so he took a small step backwards and offered his arm to Caroline. She smiled a brilliant smile and lopped her arm elegantly through his as they stepped off the porch and out into the night. Klaus gestured to the Henley, a wooden basket filled with their food goods strapped to the back. "Your carriage awaits, my Lady."

* * *

Mystic Falls was hardly a scenic town, but Klaus couldn't deny that it had nice areas dotted here and there. One of them was the church, which was elegant and beautifully built, and another was where he now led Caroline out into the warm June evening. A welcoming smell of previous rainfall left traces of earthy flavours simmering in the air. Quiet sounds and animal hoots echoed across the field, and Klaus felt a low hum spreading away from the forest below and into his thoughts. It was perfect. The long green hill tumbled downwards, spreading out into a few acres of greenery and oaks trees dashed here and there. Magnificently, the sky opened up in a veil of black velvet spotted with luminous stars shining down onto the grass.

There was a certain stillness in the night that Klaus relished in. It wasn't completely silent; owls let out cries of joy, and grasshoppers sang their joyful tunes, but there was an element of peace that captured the moment so well. It was a place easy to find, yet also hard to find. Anyone could simply drive up, park their car in the space and dance across the field, but not everyone could see it like this. So beautiful and majestic. It was as if they had stepped out of the small town and into a place far away yet so close.

Klaus gave a small jump as Caroline reached across and entwined her fingers with his hand. The blonde looked up at him, eyes shining with unshed tears as she whispered, "I've never been out here before. Not when it's this…beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here, Klaus." She lifted a shaking hand to brush at her eyes. Klaus wanted to pull her into his arms but he waited patiently for her to finish. "You know how much I want to travel, and I still hope that I will but…I think I've realised something important."

"And what's that?" He asked softly.

"That being somewhere beautiful means nothing without anyone by your side."

This time, Klaus pulled her into his embrace without hesitation. Caroline's shoulders began to shake as she sniffed against his collar. Klaus was somewhat sad that the blonde was crying but he also knew that she wasn't crying out of sadness. Or at least he hoped she wasn't. Klaus thought that she was simply overwhelmed. Just to be certain, he carefully tilted Caroline's chin up and looked into her blue eyes. "Is everything okay, my little bookworm?"

Caroline smiled warmly and looked down, strands of blonde hair covering her eyes. "Everything is…perfect."

"Then let's get ready for that star. We don't want to miss it after all, do we?" Klaus dropped the basket he had been carrying off his shoulder and pulled out a tartan blanket, gingerly spreading it across the grass. Then, under Caroline's watchful eye, he began removing the other contents; first taking out plates and cutlery and then assorts of crackers, cheese, slices of meat, fruit and shortbread biscuits that Esther had baked especially. Klaus looked at the spread. Perhaps, in a daze, he had over packed. There was enough food here to feed an entire army at least.

"This is so British!" Caroline began to laugh, throwing her head back in amusement.

Klaus felt his face drop slightly. "You don't like it?"

"Are you joking? I love it! This is so amazing; I cannot believe you did all this…for me." The blonde trailed off shyly and paused. She began to nervously play with the edges of her sleeves and Klaus grinned fondly at the gesture. He never seemed to quite understand how Caroline was feeling most of the time, she hid her thoughts and feelings so well. She ironically reminded Klaus of a book. One of those books that not many people have read but those who do, are blown away by it. However, this time it was obvious that Caroline was nervous so Klaus reclined on the blanket and reached out to her with a hand.

"You know, you'll miss the star if you're facing the wrong way."

And with one final anxious look, Caroline buried her worries and joined Klaus on the blanket. The evening was slowly melting into darkness, so Klaus took out two of the lanterns that Caroline had brought with her and placed the lights around them. They gave off a soft glow that brought out the intensity in Caroline's teal eyes. They had at least ten minutes until the star passed over so Klaus busied himself with adding food to Caroline's plate and his own. He piled up biscuits and brie and tomatoes until the plate was toppling with food.

He handed it to Caroline who raised an eyebrow, and smiled playfully. "Are you trying to fatten me up?" She teased. "I can assure you that I eat well enough."

"Sorry. I got a little distracted."

"I forgive you."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

Caroline laughed at his banter. "I do." The blonde popped a tomato into her mouth and chewed for a few moments. Then she turned to Klaus; her mouth now set in a thinner, more serious line. But her expression was curious; interested rather than foreshadowing a negative question. "Can I ask you about your family?"

_Oh._

Now Klaus understood. He quickly guessed that Caroline hadn't wanted to pressure him into answering but her curiosity had won the best of her. "If you'd like to, I suppose." He replied gently, making sure to flash a smile so Caroline knew that he was comfortable with the topic.

In a way, Klaus was. A long period of time had gone by since the last family drama, and he'd had years to dwell on it. Only now that the wedding had surfaced, and Elijah and Rebekah were moving around had Klaus begun to think about it again. It had all been so long ago since he and Esther left, but it still left him feeling raw and vulnerable whenever the events were brought up. There was something, even now, that Mikael held over him. Something that encouraged his need for control. But Klaus felt strangely happy discussing it with Caroline, which he found very surprising.

"Well, I remember you said that you were close with Elijah and Rebekah growing up but…" She swallowed and Klaus could see she was thinking about dropping the question.

"Go on." He encouraged quietly.

"…what happened between you and your father?"

Klaus tensed immediately. He couldn't help it; it was just an automatic reaction to the name that brought up so many bad memories. "A lot happened between Mikael and me." Klaus began after a minute or two. "Our relationship was always rocky. Even my earliest memories of him aren't loving or kind. He just wasn't that sort of man." He explained to Caroline. She watched him carefully, intently drinking in every word with an open expression. "Of course, I didn't exactly help by drinking and smoking the second I started high school. But Mikael would've found a way to pick a fight, even if I was head of my year with positions on all sport teams and leader of every science club. He just…never looked at me like a father is supposed to look at his son."

Klaus was surprised by the strange feeling of sadness washing over him. He'd been angry at Mikael for so long, seeing that anger as disappointment made Klaus looked at the experience with a fresh pair of eyes. Sure enough, Mikael never done anything truly awful yet his actions affected every decision that Klaus made. Even now, after all these years.

_Perhaps it's time to stop,_ He wondered thoughtfully.

"Klaus?" Caroline's voice anchored him to the present. "We don't have to talk about this. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked…"

"It's fine, really. I haven't really spoken about it out loud for a long while. It actually feels surprisingly good to get it off my chest, so thank you for asking." Klaus closed his hand around hers and smiled at the wave of warmth that flooded across him as they touched. "I honestly don't mind, Caroline."

The blonde nodded, smiled sweetly, and continued with her questions. "Did your father treat Elijah and Rebekah the same as you?"

"Yes and no." Klaus replied slowly. "Elijah never gave Mikael a reason to. He always kept his head down, busy working right up until the day he left for University. Elijah is a closed book, to say the least. I never quite knew whether he hated our father or respected him. Either way, my elder brother never got involved and stayed far away during any arguments. I think Mikael liked that, hence why he never gave Elijah the same hassle he gave me. I know I never made it easy, I know that, but…there was always something that made me believe that Mikael disliked me. In fact, I doubt he ever loved me."

"Every father loves his children, Klaus." Caroline said quietly. Her eyes seemed sad now. "Even if it seemed like he hated you, I'm sure he didn't."

"I don't think you understand. I remember catching him every so often just staring at me with this cold expression plastered on his face. The hatred in his eyes was as clear as glass. Mikael looked at me as if I was responsible for all the problems in the world. I mean…that's what it felt like to me. And that's why I left when I got the opportunity."

"And Rebekah hated that?"

"She did." Klaus exhaled and began picking at an orange as he spoke. "Rebekah and I were always close, you see. When I left, she took it more personally than she should've done. I only left because I couldn't be around Mikael any more, not because I was desperate to be apart from her. However, Bekah views family even fiercer than I do. She felt betrayed that I left her alone." Klaus felt his throat close up slightly. "Don't misunderstand me, I pleaded with her to come with us but she had a good school life, and friends that she didn't want to leave behind."

"You seem close still, even now."

"We are." Klaus admitted happily. "And I'm very grateful for that chance to be close again."

Caroline moved closer, inching her body so that her head rested against his chest. "Thank you for telling me about your family, Klaus. I appreciate it, very much so."

"Thank you for listening."

The conversation ended and a few moments of silence stretched out comfortably. Klaus relaxed into the evening, with Caroline's head against his heart, and closed his eyes. Everything was as it should be. Caroline was by his side and they were alone, together. There was nowhere else Klaus would rather be than sitting on top of a field with her. Glad the weather was relatively warm, Klaus pulled the edges of the blanket over their legs, just encase. He suddenly remembered the reason they were here and reached inside his pocket to check the time on his phone. It was dead on ten o'clock.

"You'd better not be falling asleep on me, Mikaelsen."

Caroline's joking whisper made Klaus smile. "I promise you, I won't."

He fondly tapped her nose and slowly sat up, as not to startle the blonde. She rose with his chest and settled once again. Suddenly excited, Klaus looked up. The sky was still dark, with the exception of the usual stars burning and glowing in their usual places. But he waited; still and unmoving, with eyes watching the sky for a sign of movement. Klaus began to shiver as the thrill of anticipation rushed across his skin, dancing over his nerves in tiny sparks.

"Your heart is beating so fast." Caroline murmured into his torso.

Klaus placed a light hand over her jumper, and felt her own heartbeat. "As is yours." He replied. It pulsed under his fingertips, echoing his inner desire and thrill to be with her. It was a wonderfully bizarre and unreal sensation; knowing that two hearts were beating for the same reason. The feeling was consuming his thoughts like a whirlwind. Klaus quickly realised he was becoming overwhelmed so he slowly removed his hand and placed it back on the blanket. He wasn't ready to be so…connected just yet. In fact, it scared the living daylights out of him.

"What else is on your list, Caroline?"

The question came out of nowhere but the more Klaus thought about it, the more eager he became in wanting to know. Quietly, he began to run his fingers through the blonde's hair. "I understand if you don't want to tell me, but I promise that I will listen when you feel like telling me. Whether that's tonight, or tomorrow; in a week, or even in a year."

"You...still want to know me in a year?"

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I want to know you in a year's time." His fingers continued to make patterns in her curls. "If you'll let me, that is. I know how stubborn you are, Caroline Forbes" He teased. "I bet there is a test I have to pass every month just to be with you. But I'll take it. And fail, most likely. Then I'll retake it and retake it until I can be with you."

"It's quite a hard test." Caroline moved under his embrace and tilted her head to peer up at him, her blue eyes surprisingly sad. "…things might get in the way."

"There are always things getting in the way." Klaus brushed the issue away with one hand. "The trick is to accept them and work out a way to move around." He realised something and frowned. "Why are you always so negative about the future? You even hate talking about it and whenever we _do_ talk about it, you always sound so…distant. Like you have no hope whatsoever." A stirring anger fuelled him on. Klaus wasn't exactly livid with fury but a little hope and effort couldn't hurt, and Caroline always sounded as if she wanted things to tear them apart.

"I…don't like thinking about the future."

"Why not?" Insistent, Klaus continued to push. He didn't mean to sound relentless but he couldn't work Caroline out at all. "I understand that it can be scary but surely that's the whole point? You said so yourself that you want to travel and like it or not, _that's_ part of the future. So why can't you talk about the future…with us? It's like you just expect us to fail."

"Klaus, _please_, I don't want to fight…"

"I don't want to fight either, but I just want to know-" He broke off when he noticed tears streaming down Caroline's cheeks. She was violently shaking and Klaus realised with a sinking feeling that it had nothing to do with the weather. It was because of him. It was all because he was too pushy and insensitive and now he had upset his sweetheart. _Damn you_, He cursed inwardly. The only thing he thought to do was hold her closer. Hands still in her curls, Klaus allowed her to sob into his shoulder and tried not to resist the urge to run into the forest and scream in frustration. Why did he have to say anything? It was all going so well. But of course, he had to go and ruin the mood and hurt Caroline.

"I'm…s-sorry. I never cry. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I cried properly."

Klaus touched her cheek softly. "Don't apologise, Caroline." He told her. "I should be the one saying sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Oh, no!" Caroline pulled away so she could face him. The blonde placed her hands on either side of his face and looked at him, her expression caught between sadness and surprise. "It wasn't you, Klaus!" She rushed out. "I just got upset about something…I was thinking about. It had nothing to do with you, I swear! Please believe me, don't feel guilty, it was just me being silly old Caroline!"

That didn't make Klaus feel any less worried. "Then what on earth was troubling you?"

"It's nothing!"

"That did not look like nothing, Caroline!"

"Let's not fight…"

She leaned in and kissed him. Her lips tasted salty from fallen tears but Klaus didn't care. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back with every ounce of strength and passion. Dizziness closed around his head so Klaus urged all his emotions into that one kiss before it could end. He kissed a path down her jawline, neck and shoulder and played with the strap of her tank top between his teeth. She sighed, melting into the embrace like liquid fire. His heart leapt at every touch, his skin tingling with heat and electricity. It was just them; Klaus and Caroline, alone together.

When they broke apart, both of them were breathless and giddy.

"You can't kiss me every time we fight, you know."

Caroline giggled. "Oh, but I can try."

"I'm sure you can." Klaus replied with a cheeky grin. He stole another quick kiss, nothing special but it was warm and inviting. He was about to go in for another deep, longer kiss when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. It was a flicker of light, but Klaus realised what it was and turned to nudge Caroline, pressing his nose against hers.

"Turn around, little bookworm. I don't think you want to miss this."

"What do you mean…"

Words fading into silence, Caroline turned around; her back now pressed against his shirt, and Klaus watched as her gaze found the shooting star in the left-hand corner of the sky. He shifted, ever so slightly, in order to see the blonde's expression. It was definitely worth it. As a stunning, bright light flashed across the night sky, Caroline let out a small gasp of wonder. Her mouth opened and her hands grasped his tightly, as if wanting to share her excitement and spirit.

Klaus had to admit that the star was quite something. He'd seen comets and star on television, but seeing it splash across the sky in a shade of milky moonlight took his breath away. It was almost unearthly; this elegant star shooting across the sky, determined to show the world just how truly bright it was. Klaus was torn between watching the star and watching Caroline. Now that he thought about it, both were quite similar. Both Caroline and the star were beautiful, rare and worth the effort. Klaus grinned at his own analysis but didn't linger on his bad humour.

"It's so beautiful!" Caroline whispered so softly, he almost didn't hear. She slowly released his hand, standing as if in a daze to look up at the sky. Klaus followed her lead and stood. Still watching the star, he looped his arms around the blonde's waist and sighed when she leant her head against his shoulder, blonde curls arranged over his shirt collar. He had a feeling that this night was going to be in his memory for a long time.

When the star vanished from the sky, Klaus remained still; not wanting the moment to end, and for Caroline to move away. He hid his disappointment when her hands pushed his away, and off of her waist. But then Caroline turned to face him, her smile as bright as the star that had been in the sky mere seconds ago. His heart lifted, even higher than the stars, and Klaus was no longer afraid of his feelings. For so long, he'd pushed people away and controlled others out of fear that they would turn on him. But Caroline offered safety instead of anger, warmth and kindness instead of bitter hatred. She was everything to Klaus, and as Caroline beamed up at him with that kindness and warmth in her eyes, and that beauty in her smile, all he wanted to do was tell her how he felt.

"Caroline, I love-"

_Thud._

A scream pierced the night, and Klaus was suddenly aware of feeling dazed. He stumbled with his footing, reaching with a hand to locate the dull ache of pain spreading across the back of his head. What the hell just happened? Quickly, he blinked rapidly in hope of gaining better vision.

_There_.

Two…no, _three_ figures emerged in front of him. All three were familiar, but only two were surprising.

"KLAUS!"

He was immediately pulled back to the present the moment he heard Caroline's cry. If she was in trouble, he wasn't going to give up. His vision cleared slightly, but only enough to get a proper look at the unravelling scene. Caroline was standing in front of him, and the fear in her eyes was terrifying. But someone else was holding her back, by the shoulders.

_Hayley?_

_What the bloody hell is she doing here?_ He wondered, but Klaus realised there was no time for questions. He tried to move again, but a sickening dizziness pulled him to his knees. His vision was still decent, so he managed to look up. Caroline was being restrained by Hayley, and another, taller figure was walking towards Klaus now. Dressed in all black, this figure loomed over Klaus threateningly, as if asserting his power in the situation unfolding. The figure kneeled to his height, and his childish smirk was unmistakable.

"I think we need to have a little chat, don't you?" Damon spat.

* * *

**So…CLIFFHANGER ALERT! ;)**

**I know some of you will be mad about Damon and Hayley interrupting their first 'I love you' but I've already written a MUCH sweeter version so don't y'all worry!**

**I won't leave you hanging for too long...**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Eugh, it has been FAR too long since I last updated…and on a cliff-hanger as well! **

**Eek!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter and I shall try and update as soon as I can but I've started college and have so much work and essays to write and re-write… :(**

* * *

"I think we need to have a little chat, don't you?"

Damon's words sent violent flashes of warning through Klaus. From the ground, he coughed as blood swam into his mouth but he managed to climb to his feet, still hunched over. Slowly, he rubbed at his eyes and in a few moments, finally began to see clearly once again. Damon stood tall and proud before him and smirked as he cocked his head to stare at Klaus. "Not so much The Big Bad wolf anymore, are you?"

"What the hell are you doing?" Klaus hissed in response.

"All in good time."

"No, _now_."

"So impatient," Damon rolled his eyes and a hint of twisted joy glistened in his eyes. "Very well, let's get this over with."

Klaus managed to stand up properly during the exchange and his gaze was quickly drawn to where Hayley and Caroline stood behind the other boy. The brunette's hands were tightly coiled around Caroline wrists, pinning them to her side at painful angles. "Don't worry, Klaus," Hayley grinned. "Nothing will happen to this sweet little thing…_if_ she remains still."

With that, Klaus hurtled forwards only to meet another swing of Damon's fist. Knuckles collided into his nose and pain exploded through his nose and cheeks but all Klaus did was grit his teeth harder. Nothing was going to send him into unconsciousness tonight. Not when the elder Salvatore brother had chosen the wrong person to piss off.

"I'll only ask you one more time, Damon." He said coldly. "What do you want?"

"I only want to talk to you about my dear brother. And my lovely girl, of course." Damon slowly paced around Hayley, all the time keeping his eyes locked on Klaus. "You see, I cannot hurt Stefan. No, that would be completely out of order and Elena wouldn't like that one bit."

Klaus stared in disbelief. "This is about your ex?!"

"This is about my _girlfriend_, yes." The elder Salvatore corrected slowly, a hint of violent anger in his eyes.

"I hate to be the one to break it to you but she's not your girlfriend, not anymore."

"Besides, when we get back together, I'd hate for Elena to be mad at me after she gets over this little infatuation with Stefan. I want her to see that I reacted maturely," Damon gestured to the small group. "Hence why I thought this little…_gathering_ ought to be arranged. So consider this a talk, man to man, just to straighten a few issues out, that's all. See, I need you to persuade Stefan not to pursue my girlfriend. It puts a bit of strain on our brotherly bond. No one needs to get hurt but I'd hate for Stefan to get involved. "

"You're insane! Stefan isn't even interested in her anymore, not after she messed him about so much. He never even pursued her in the first place, damn it!" Klaus paused, and carefully added, "Well, he didn't….force her to break up with you-"

"I heard you two talking, you convinced him to go after her." Hayley spoke up; her hands still holding Caroline in place. "Don't lie."

Klaus glared at the brunette. "You stay out of this!" He hissed.

"Ah! So he _did_ go after her knowing fore well that she was dating me?"

"That's not the point, Damon, and you know it. The point is that Elena broke up with you and you're looking for someone to blame. Like you said, you don't want to hurt Stefan in case your precious Elena becomes offended so you're angry and pissed and taking it out on me." Klaus paused to wipe the trail of blood dripping from his split lip.

"If you want to make this personal, I can do that too you know, quite easily in fact." A sly grin smothered Damon. "You took my place in the group when you arrived, all because you wanted people to fear and respect you. I allowed you to do that. Don't ask me why, but I did. Perhaps a part of me wanted to please you. But you didn't actually care about us; all you wanted was a little army of puppets obeying your every command. We were better off without you, we all were."

Klaus was becoming confused now. Surely if Damon was happy he was gone, wouldn't he be…celebrating a little more? Instead, the other boy was contradicting himself. Damon claimed to hate him yet admitted to wanting Klaus to like him. "Then why do you care so much?" He couldn't help but ask.

"I don't. I used to, but not anymore. You've gone and taken my brother away from me, so I think it's only fair that I take something from you. Now that you've gone and gotten yourself a lovely little blonde…" Damon trailed a finger across Caroline's cheek. She flinched away at his touch and her expression became even more frightened.

Instantly enraged, Klaus balled his hands into fists and cried, "Don't you dare touch her!" He lunged for Damon and the pair sprawled onto the grass, toppling down the hill a few feet away. Klaus felt his vision blur but ignored it this time. Damon wasn't getting away with this. Not this time. Klaus scrambled across the ground and loomed over the elder Salvatore with anger in his heart. His fist collided with the other boy's jaw, hard. A sickening crunch echoed into the night. One of the two girls screamed at the sound. Klaus hoped it was Hayley, but had no time to be sure. He didn't care. Damon was going to learn a valuable lesson tonight. He was going to learn what happened to those who crossed Klaus, and those he cared for.

Damon groaned, blood spilling into his jacket, and attempted to throw a punch. It was useless, for Klaus grabbed his fist mid-swing and began to slowly angle it backwards. When the elder Salvatore began to scream, Klaus knew he had almost hit the mark. This anger he was feeling was too consuming, he knew that too. But Damon had pushed his luck and was now facing the consequences.

"STOP!"

Klaus stopped, hand hovering mid-air; inches above Damon's bruised and bloody face. He looked up, the storm of fury settling down inside his stomach as he saw Caroline standing in front of him. Her eyes were terrified…of him? He suddenly felt sick at the expression on her face. Behind her, Hayley knelt on the floor; an arm comforting her stomach. Had the blonde hit her? Shaking the thought from his mind, Klaus noticed that Caroline looked petrified, as if her fears had sprung to life right in front of her. Her cry had sounded pleading though, not scared or shocked, simply begging him not to make another move. He was completely confused. Surely the blonde wasn't protecting Damon?

"He touched you, Caroline," Klaus murmured, breathing heavily as he tried to regain his breath.

Her expression softened. "I know he did, I know." She sank to her knees, on the grass beside him, and reached for his lifted hand. Her fingers curled around his and slowly, and gently, brought them to her cheeks. She kissed them before resting them in her lap, enclosing them protectively inside hers. "But I have to protect you now, Klaus." She whispered kindly, and as if talking to a child, she explained, "If you hurt Damon any more than you already have done, you will get into trouble; do you understand? You'll break something and get into trouble with the police. You don't want that, Klaus…I don't want to see you in jail, do you hear me? So, please…stop. Just walk away and let Damon go. I don't think he'll make another move, not after this. Look at me, Klaus. Look at me," Caroline reached for his injured face and caressed his skin with care. The usual light in her eyes was back, and Klaus felt his injuries begin to fade away the longer she smiled at him. "I'm fine." She told him carefully. "I'm not hurt, Klaus. So leave him and walk away with me."

Klaus looked from her to Damon, then back again. "I….I can't, Caroline." He couldn't just leave Damon alone after that. If he wanted to be in control, Damon had to learn that his actions tonight were unacceptable. If he didn't understand that, how could Klaus be in control? The blonde was asking him to surrender that control.

"Yes, you can. Trust me, Damon won't be talking. He may be stupid, but he isn't a complete idiot, and if you leave him…he owes you one. You're in control, Klaus." She smiled warmly, and his heart cried out. "By walking away, you are in control. And you have to see this too; Damon wanted people to respect him, does that remind you of anyone?" She held a finger over his lips before he could protest. "The similarities stop there, but I just wanted to show you that you're not that different. You both lash out. You both care about family. What Damon did was completely insane, but I'm fairly certain you can relate too." Without breaking eye contact, Caroline lifted herself off the ground and reached out with her other hand. "Take my hand, and let's say we get the hell out of here?"

Despite the pain, a small smile broke out on his face. "That's not very Christian of you."

"I'm sure He can make an exception this one time."

His smile widened, and he settled his hand into Caroline's. "Very well, little bookworm. I'll take your lead on this."

Quietly, Caroline leaned across and tenderly kissed his cheek. Her lips rested on his skin for a moment and the touch sent shivers across his body, blossoming into the dulling pain like medicine. His hand reached out and tucked the familiar loose curl behind her ear and she smiled against his cheek.

She turned to leave. "Let's go."

But before Klaus followed, he turned to Damon, who was now slowly sitting up on the grass as Hayley rushed over to help. The brunette must have been winded by Caroline as she sent a glare at the blonde before helping the elder Salvatore to a sitting position. Klaus was certain nothing was broken, perhaps a few near-breaks, but nothing completely fractured or broken. "Listen to me, _mate_," He began, voice dangerously low. "If you mention this to anyone, I can easily inform the principal that you were involved in Matt's accident. In fact, I feel quite certain that Matt could say you forced him into jumping. So the next time you even think about trying something as stupid as this, remember that. Because if you do, I can promise that I won't go this easy on you."

If Caroline heard, she didn't say anything. She watched, side by side with Klaus, and the other pair slowly walked away from them; with Damon groaning and limping and Hayley, grumbling. The blonde then turned to him and gave a small smile. "I think we could both use a walk after that drama!"

"How can you be so calm, Caroline?" Klaus was speechless for a few moments. Despite Caroline's attempt to compare him and Damon, Klaus was still furious. "He ambushed us! As in, tried-to-threaten-me ambush. How the bloody hell are you okay with this?!"

"Don't assume that I'm happy about this, believe me, I'm not, but like I said earlier, what he did _was_ reckless and inexcusable but…think about it, Klaus; Damon was angry, and acted out on the nearest person." With another smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck; the warmth of her breath drifting across to him. "You must learn to forgive as well as be forgiven, my sweet, over protective, violent, boyfriend. Take it from someone who knows…and let it go."

"Just let it go?"

"Let it go." She repeated with a whisper.

Emotionally and physically drained, Klaus leant his forehead against Caroline's and replied quietly, "If he would've hurt you…I would have killed him."

"I know. But as much as you want to, you cannot protect me from everything, Klaus. There are going to be things I have to deal with on my own and things we can deal with together. But you can't always fight my battles for me either, you must know that as well." She shifted, and her nose brushed coyly against his. "I appreciate you trying though. That was very brave of you. Foolish, but brave."

"But, can't you see, I have to protect those I love, Caroline. I have to protect _you_. If I can't, then why the hell am I even trying?" Klaus came to a sudden stop, realising what he had just confessed. A moment of clarity outshone the anger and violence and anguish. "I love you." He repeated, his chest heaving at the sound of his voice finally saying it out loud. "I love you, Caroline." There must've been other words that explained his feelings but those were all Klaus could muster up as the beautiful blonde stood before him.

"_What_…?" Caroline's eyes were as wide as the stars in the night sky.

"I said I love you. And I'll say it a thousand more times till you believe me." Klaus pulled the blonde's hands into his own and held them for a few moments, as if weighing up each reason for loving her. If he had to count ever reason, he'd need many more pairs of hands. However, he thought he ought to try anyway. "I've loved you ever since I first spoke to you in the library all those months ago. I made you jump and I thought, 'There's a girl who'll surprise me'. And you did all that and more. You taught me not to smoke cigarettes in front of you." Klaus couldn't help but grin at the memory outside the bus top. "You taught me to open up my heart again. And I love you for that, and so much more. I love the way you sing like an angel and kiss like the devil. Even though I don't understand it, I love your faith. I love how you've made me believe in miracles and science and kindness again. I love how each time I touch you," His hand skimmed gently over her skin, flittering from her forehead, down to her cheek. "I seem to burst into flames. You enrage me, Caroline. You leave me feeling irritated and riled up, and passionate and adventurous. Your heart is truly beautiful and as wide as the ocean. I love your temper, and your freckles. I love…you."

Klaus drew Caroline into his arms, his lips moving faster and faster to keep up with his own words, tumbling out with passion. "I cannot believe you have stolen my heart, Caroline Forbes. And if I have a left of it then it belongs to you and only you. You stole it the moment I met you; the moment you sang and the moment you kissed me. And I hated it. I truly hated how you made me feel. No one had ever done that before, you see. You were the first, and I hope the last, to warm my sheltered heart and lift my spirits again. Soon after that…I just realised. I realised that I wanted someone to do all those things after all. I wanted someone to throw my cigarettes on the floor and scream at me for all my wrong doings. I needed that, don't you see?" Klaus felt his voice crack, breaking off into a whisper. His fingers tangled into Caroline's hair and caressed her skin with the hope of finding warmth in her touch to carry on. He found it. "I need you, Caroline. All this time, I needed _you_."

Klaus exhaled deeply. His confession had drained him completely, and an overwhelming fear washed over him as he looked up at Caroline only to find her face was unreadable. Her expression was…vague. Like someone had lost focus and faded away into the background. Her eyes showed only little life, and her mouth was set in a straight line, though the corners trembled slightly; as if the blonde was holding her emotions in, tightly. In the silence, Klaus felt like what he had said still wasn't good enough. His feelings couldn't be explained, even after all those words. But he gave it one last, brazen attempt. "I love you, Caroline." He repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time. "I'm in love with you. Even if this doesn't work out, I know how I feel about you. And I know that you're afraid of barriers and complications and people pushing us apart. I'm an asshole. You're stubborn. We both have problems."

Caroline let out a quiet sound of disbelief, halfway between a laugh and a gasp.

"But together we could be such a beautiful complication."

A few seconds passed in silence, the only sound coming from the wind whipping across the trees below. The stars still shone down into the evening, awaiting Caroline's response just as eagerly as Klaus was. His pulse was ringing in his ears, partially due to the speed of his confession but mostly because Caroline was staring at him as if he had just confessed to bombing America.

"Say something." He begged quietly. The fear was bubbling up again, growing stronger the longer she remained silent. If she admitted she loved him too, then wonderful, but if she turned around and said no then Klaus didn't think he'd be ready for it. Nevertheless, he swallowed when Caroline opened her mouth, after what seemed like hours but was most likely mere minutes.

"You promised you wouldn't fall in love with me."

Caroline kissed him then, answering his profession with one of her own. It was unspoken, of course, but as clear as any stream of words. This was a kiss exchanged between fighters, between those who were willing to battle through all the battles and fights and obstacles. This was a kiss that set buildings alight and tore cities into two. It was a kiss that flooded into both their hearts, tugging at each other's walls with carefully applied pressure.

And Klaus didn't know it yet, but soon, a test would be approaching; and it would be one that truly tested the couple's will to fight.

* * *

A few days later and nothing seemed to be stirring between Damon, Stefan or Elena. Carefully, Klaus had kept his distance from his old group of friends in an attempt to keep the peace. It had worked so far. Damon had yet to make a move but it became more apparent that the elder Salvatore was leaving things alone as well. Klaus had spotted Damon and Elena talking again and he even thought that they looked…happy. Happier than they had been before at least. After the confrontation, Klaus noticed that Damon was even studying in the library on occasion with his ex-girlfriend. A part of him wanted to go over and speak to the other boy, but Klaus knew better than to push his luck anymore.

At track practise, he asked Stefan how things were going and the younger Salvatore ducked his head, though not from sadness, but from what looked like embarrassment. "Uh…yeah. Good, thanks."

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Nooo." Stefan sang guiltily. "Nothing. _Nada_. Absolutely nothing to tell here!"

"You know that I'll find out one way or another so just go ahead." Klaus searched his friend's face for a tell-tale sign. He was clearly embarrassed, but what of, Klaus had no idea.

"So…how many times will you punch me in the face if I ask your sister out?"

"It depends."

"On?"

"On whether or not you've actually _already_ asked her out."

"Ah." Stefan rubbed the nape of his neck and grimaced, unable to spin a lie on the spot. "Well…you see…we were alone and you weren't there, so it wasn't like I could ask you beforehand. I uh…"

With evil tendencies, and an undeniable love of teasing, Klaus allowed his friend's discomfort to stretch on for a few more seconds before his grin broke out. "I'm kidding, Stefan!" He laughed at his friend's wounded expression and happily clapped a hand over his shoulder. "If you can look past my little sister's bratty attitude, then good luck with her!"

"You're an asshole."

"So I've been told many times before." Klaus grinned, and Stefan shook his head but began to laugh. He understood Stefan's worry but also knew that he trusted his friend. "Besides," Klaus added. "It might give me something to bring up whenever she sticks her nose in with my business. The next time Bekah wants to know how my relationship is going, I've got something to fly right back at her." He paused, and added, "Though if you hurt her, I will punch you in the face. _Twice_."

"I know you will, buddy."

"Excellent. Just making sure we're clear."

"Crystal."

"Besides, I have a date tonight as well."

"Where are you taking Caroline this time?" Stefan winked at him. "Another round at the boxing ring?" The younger Salvatore gestured to the bruises and scrapes left from the fight with Damon.

Klaus shook his head at the comment but found himself smiling. "You're sense of humour never fails to amaze me." They finished another lap and continued to run as Klaus replied, "Seeing as our first didn't plan out too well, I'm taking her to a restaurant this time. Perhaps Damon and Hayley won't tag along this time. "

"Call me crazy but I'm beginning to get the impression that things are settling down now. Things just feel…different. Less intense."

Quietly, and with serious thought, Klaus pondered this. He'd been thinking it earlier as well; that people seemed to be changing and growing up so quickly. Enemies were becoming acquaintances, and friends like Stefan were becoming like family to him. Yes, they were still teenagers, but that didn't mean they couldn't gain a sense of intelligence overnight. Was it simply all because they were growing up? Or was it because they'd realised what was more important? Perhaps this was what growing up felt like. "I think I do." He murmured.

* * *

"You don't have to pull my chair out."

"Oh. Is it a feminism thing?"

"Perhaps. Have you considered the fact that I can seat myself without the help of a man?"

For a moment, Klaus looked away from his date in embarrassment. They hadn't even sat down to order and already Caroline had challenged his motives. But wasn't that what he loved about her? That spark in her eye that fought against him? _Indeed it is,_ he thought admirably. As they sat down, he couldn't take his eyes off the blonde. She was dressed in a simple dark green dress that flowed against her skin like liquid gold, brushing her ankles and settling into a scoop neckline that added a touch of 1920s glamor and elegance. Loose curls fell down and settled around her shoulders, framing her face beautifully.

He suddenly felt conscious of his staring and was grateful when their waiter, a brunette in her mid-40s, offered them both a menu. They ordered their selections before the woman smiled and left, promising to return in a few minutes with their drinks.

Conscious once again, Klaus played with the cuffs of his sleeves.

Caroline looked at him from across the table and spoke softly, "You don't have to be nervous. I think you look very handsome, Klaus."

"So you're the confident one now, are you?" A whisper of a smirk broke out when he added, "My, my, this is a strange world we live in where shy, sweet bookworms turn into breath-taking visions of beauty. I swear you put the stars to shame, Caroline."

At his comment, his smirk grew when Caroline's cheeks flamed as red as the morning sun. She looked down for a few moments as if composing herself before drawing her eyes back up to meet him with a newfound confidence in her gaze. "I didn't realise you paid any attention in Literature classes." The blonde murmured coolly. "Whose poem did you steal that line from?"

Klaus laughed at that and she joined in.

"May I suggest we call truce?"

"I did not realise we were playing a game?" Caroline phrased it as an innocent question but her eyes twinkled with glee.

Slyly, Klaus tilted his head and allowed his gaze to trail across every inch of visible skin but the blonde gave no sign of being affected. He had played the game of seduction many times before but with Caroline, it was different, as was everything else. It was not a game for both had already won. It was simple fun, and teasing but Klaus knew it could turn passionate and heated within seconds. That spark between them would burn into a fire if it had the chance to thrive. And Klaus and Caroline knew that.

He smiled warmly, as if to show her that he was withdrawing. "Very well, I shall withdraw…for now."

"And I, too." Caroline grinned, and her smile lit up with her eyes.

The waiter came back with their drinks then and Klaus thanked the woman, as did Caroline, before they were both alone in the restaurant again.

Klaus felt the urge to close the distance between them but didn't. Right now, he simply enjoyed her company and the two spent the rest of the meal talking and laughing and although occasional banter turned to disagreements, the spark never left their words. His eyes mirrored the same light in Caroline's and his smile blossomed at every clever remark she threw at him. Klaus had only ever felt this relaxed around family before her. She seemed to make him nervous and comfortable all at once; on edge and stable at the same time. He'd given up trying to explain it and simply enjoy whatever was unfolding between them.

As they waited for the bill, Klaus leaned across the table and asked, "What would you like to do now, Caroline?"

The blonde paused for a moment, dabbing at the corners of her mouth with a napkin before placing it down on the table and smiling. "You tell me." Her blue eyes twinkled again. "Surprise me."

Klaus gave a short laugh. "Very well." He thought for a few seconds. "Before that, tell me this, what else is on your list?"

That silenced Caroline and she froze. Her eyes still twinkled but a newfound touch of fear was dashed across her gaze as well. He waited, careful not to press her. Caroline scrunched the napkin into her hand as she looked anywhere else around the room apart from across the table at him. All around, people were telling tales and swapping laughs but Klaus was only listening for one reply. Finally, Caroline made a show of releasing the crumpled napkin. She shrugged once, as if blowing off her strong reaction to his question. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because I'm interested in you," He began. "And everything on that list is important to you, so therefore it is important to me. I want to know more about you, little bookworm, and the list seems a good place to start. Besides, it will help me plan the next part of our date…if that encourages you at all?" Klaus left the words posed as a question, hoping to spark a reply.

Caroline pursed her lips and trailed her fingers across them, as if pressing them together with the secrets they held inside. She looked at him, but Klaus couldn't read her expression. Perhaps it was that familiar look of growing too close to someone, or maybe it was just the uncertainty of trusting him. Either way, Klaus tried not to show his disappointment at the lack of openness in Caroline's response. He hadn't wanted her to jump at the chance of sharing the list, but he had hoped the blonde would at least be less…afraid.

"_Okay_."

Klaus blinked in surprise. "Okay?"

Caroline nodded, somewhat shyly as she ducked her head. "Okay." She repeated. With more confidence, the blonde smiled again and added, "You've won me over."

"I'm glad of it."

After paying and thanking their servicers, the pair began to walk out of the restaurant and as Klaus wrapped his arm around Caroline's waist, she leaned into his embrace as if it was perfectly natural. Klaus tried not to smile but a bashful grin covered his face. He felt entirely stupid and could not care one bit. If he was holding Caroline, nothing would feel wrong. He'd heard the saying 'people fit together like two puzzle pieces' and in their case it was both the truth and a lie; they _did_ fit together like two lost souls, but that didn't mean they were a literal fit. They had their differences – overwhelmingly big differences in fact – but those differences balanced their thoughts and conversations and time spent arguing or laughing together. Besides, without a little imperfection, nothing could be truly perfect.

A few minutes later and Klaus pulled his motorcycle up beside the cemetery. The pair settled into their usual position; blankets spread out in the large grass area next to Caroline's telescope watching the stars. Tonight, the sky was relatively clear and the stars shone brightly as they sat together in a rare moment of peace and quiet.

Klaus pulled Caroline's into his lap with careful hands. The blonde giggled and leaned her head back to stare at him as she asked, "Are you trying to seduce me, Mikaelsen?"

"Why?" He murmured throatily, mimicking the huskiness of her tone. "Is it working?" His lips brushed against the tip of her earlobe and Caroline's shiver betrayed her. Klaus smirked at her reaction.

"I cannot be seduced by bad boys."

"Are you quite sure about that?"

"Mmhm…" Caroline shivered again as he whispered in her ear.

Klaus knew it was unbearably wrong of him to tease the blonde but she made it so easy; looking up at him with the perfect picture of false innocence. He closed the distance between them and kissed Caroline without hesitation or shame, only desire and affection. They pulled away after a few moments but her touch, as always, lingered for much longer. A faint breeze whipped around them so Klaus tugged the spare blanket around Caroline's shoulders and she smiled against his lips. "Thank you, my hero."

"Anytime." He murmured and settled back into a more comfortable position. He leaned back, hands pressed into the ground. "So…your list?"

"You're not going to forget about that silly thing, are you?"

"Never." Klaus promised with a wicked grin. "Although, it was you who brought it up the first time, remember?" He reminded the blonde. She looked at him with a puzzled expression. "When you drove me home from practise, you told me that you wished to befriend someone you disliked." He clarified. "And it seems as if you did more than complete that one!"

Caroline laughed and shook her head in disapproval. "It's not my fault that the boy I happened to dislike was somewhat charming underneath all his bravado. Plus, the accent…"

"My accent?" Klaus asked innocently.

"I told you not to play games with me, Mikaelsen."

He held a hand up in surrender. "My apologies. But it _was_ you who mentioned the list; I'm simply helping you out."

Caroline was silent for a few moments and Klaus worried that he'd gone too far, but then she sighed. "I suppose I did, didn't I?" She nestled her head into his shoulder before continuing and Klaus smiled as flickers of blonde hair tickled his skin, sending tingles up and down his arm. "I only have five items on my list but…they're important to me, and not exactly…small wishes."

Klaus listened without interruption.

"Number 4, you already know; befriend someone I dislike. _Check_." The blonde's laugh sent vibrations into his shoulder. "So now…only four left to go. Number 5 is to donate money to charity. I know many people do it, but I feel grateful for all the people and joys in my life so I don't want to be ignorant to those around me who aren't so fortunate. Yes, it's a cliché, but I can't live my life without thinking of others every now and again. I'm not a saviour or a saint but giving back makes me feel better."

"How can you question that? It's beyond cliché, it's wonderful, Caroline." He began to play with her hair, twisting curls around his fingers. "Please, continue."

"Well, number 3 is…" She cleared her throat again and began to fidget; adjusting little things such as the corners of the blankets or the cuffs of the jacket draped over her legs. Klaus wasn't certain whether she was embarrassed or uncomfortable but either way, Caroline didn't want to say it.

"You don't have to tell me. I want to know, but I don't want you to be uncomfortable." With a pause, he kissed her cheek. "I'd never ask that of you."

"I want to tell you, but…" Caroline turned around and placed her hands on his chest as she looked at him with a serious expression. "You have to promise me you won't…laugh. Or…something else."

"I promise."

"Number 3…_istogetatattoo_."

Klaus tried not to laugh as she rushed out the sentence so quickly that all he heard was the beginning. "In English, if you please?"

"I want to get a tattoo! There, I said it! That's number 3."

"A tattoo?"

"Yes, a tattoo!" Caroline cried, her cheeks flaming now. She turned away again and crossed her arms against her chest. "I knew I shouldn't have told you!"

"What? No, I'm just a little surprised, that's all." Klaus beckoned her to turn around again and rushed on, "I think tattoos are wonderful, I've seen some pretty artistic ones, and strange ones, and small ones and large ones. I just…didn't think you'd approve of them. But it doesn't mean I don't like them." He held her chin between his fingers and carefully turned her to him. "Hey, look at me. If you want to get a tattoo, then go for it. You just caught me a little by surprise!"

"Just because I'm religious, doesn't mean we all hate tattoos. Not all of them are hateful and dark and angry. Like you said, some are beautiful."

"Exactly my point, little bookworm."

Caroline still looked wary, her eyebrows rose slightly. "Hm."

"What are the final two items on your wish list?" Klaus hurried on. He wanted Caroline to know he was taking it seriously after all.

Quietly, she took a few seconds to settle down into his arms but as soon as she did, the blonde relaxed into her words. "Number 2 is to travel; to see as much of the world as I can. I'm not naïve. I know I cannot see every inch of it, nor can I explore every culture or learn every language. I do want to see and explore what I can though, and I plan on doing it as soon as possible."

"What's the rush?" Klaus asked gently. "We've got time, and quite a lot of it."

Caroline flinched visibly in his arms. Immediately, she tried to hide it but Klaus noticed the reaction straight away. He was about to ask what caused it when she carried on. "The number 1 on my wish list is to marry in the church where my mother and father married." Whether or not her words had been meant as a distraction, it worked. "What they shared was love; pure and simple, and that was the place they united as one. To me, that's important; true commitment and becoming something else. Marriage isn't exactly the most important thing in the world but I value it as much as I value my life. I believe in its value and meaning and whilst I don't wish to get married for the sake of it, it's number 1 on my wish list because it means a lot to me." Her voice faded out into a soft whisper. "Thank you for listening."

"I'll always listen to you."

"I know."

"You do?"

Caroline nodded.

"And I don't believe in marriage." He replied carefully and honestly. "But I believe in commitment and love, just like you. And if it becomes a problem in the future, then we'll deal with that when it comes up. But I do believe in us. More than two rings and churches and God, I believe in you and I believe in myself. To me, marriage is not as valuable as you see it but I also understand every word you said. And perhaps my views will change one day or perhaps yours will but for now, I don't think we need to worry about that because like I said earlier, we have time, Caroline." He tousled her hair with fondness. "So you might not be madly in love with me yet, but just you wait; I'll wait by your side until you do."

His tone was teasing but Caroline's half-sob, half-laugh worried Klaus. "Are you-"

Caroline turned around once again and held a finger against his lips. He trailed off when he noticed her expression. Caroline's eyes were brimming with unshed tears but the joyous light in her eyes and smile confused him. It seemed as though she was bursting with happiness but at the same time, exploding with grief. He'd realised that she struggled with emotions and found it difficult talking about the future, but he still wasn't sure why. All the time it both scared and startled him at random moments.

"I love you."

Klaus felt his worries flash away in the blink of an eye.

"I love you, Klaus Mikaelsen." Caroline repeated in a whisper. She offered a wobbly smile as tears made rivers down her cheeks. "I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner but I do. I love you. And it terrifies me more than I can say that you own my heart but I don't think I have a choice anymore. It's yours now so…don't damage it, okay?" She laughed again and reached out to cup his face with her hand. The contact felt warm and those sparks flared up through his skin as she leaned in and kissed him with tenderness like never before.

A hidden place in his heart broke free and Klaus felt as though his body was alive with happiness and joy and love. Caroline's soft lips pressed against his, almost desperately, and he drank her in with an equal hungriness that fuelled his passions and awoken his spirit. There were words between the kiss; promises and unspoken secrets sharing trust between a boy and a girl in love. Love is a powerful emotion, as Klaus was discovering. It brought life to the damaged and broken and gave away hope to the trapped.

It had changed him. Caroline had changed him. Though in some ways he was the same – he still had the same dreams and talents and memories – but in others, he felt like a new man and it reminded him of something Esther said long ago, before the divorce. She had told her son that _"Love needs no reason, Klaus. You should not have to explain its effects on you. Instead, you should see it and feel it. You should feel it grow on you and change you and bathe you in passion and light. You cannot explain true love for it has endless reasons. But you can spend the rest of your life finding more reasons to tell your soul mate you love them."_

* * *

**Did anyone else just throw up rainbows? ;)**

**I may have been in a super-duper-cute-romance-y-mood when I wrote this…*no shame***

**However, I loved writing this chapter as I can finally begin to write their relationship more complexly, and things are beginning to get more complex from now on.**

**Oh, and thank you to all my new followers and reviewers, welcome aboard! ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This chapter was written more quickly than I planned, yay! *happy dance***

**This is sort of a filler chapter, or preparing for the next chapter…**

* * *

"Sit with me, Caroline."

As they boarded the plane to Massechutes, Caroline paused. She had been about to claim the seat next to the left of Klaus when his sister had beckoned her. The blonde looked confused for a moment until Rebekah argued, "My brother has had _plenty_ of time with you and will have even _more_ time with you later so it's my turn now." Rebekah smiled at the other girl and patted the seat next to her with a massive grin on her face. "I want to get to know you, darling. We've got two hours till we touch down so…let's talk!"

Caroline surrendered and mouthed an apology to Klaus, somewhat reluctantly sitting down next to his pleased sister. Rebekah shot Klaus a triumphant smile and he raised an eyebrow in warning. "Don't scare her away, little sister. Try not to be yourself, hm?"

"Screw you, Nik. Unlike you, I'm always a pleasure to be around." Rebekah winked and added, "Just ask Stefan."

He muttered a curse under his breath.

"Besides, I'm simply preparing her for Elijah. He's bound to want to know every detail of the girl who's captured your icy heart." His younger sister turned to beam at Caroline. "Leave it to me!"

Caroline tilted her head with the expression of a confused kitten. "Why do I need preparing? Is your brother quite intense? Do you think he'll hate me in an instant?" She didn't look scared, more interested than anything else but before his little sister could reply, Klaus reached across the aisle and touched her shoulder comfortingly.

"How could he hate you, little bookworm?" He smiled kindly, not wanting Caroline to worry. "My brother _is_ rather intense, yes, but he's also a firm believer in family and loyalty, just as I am. If Elijah has any sense at all, he'll see what I see in you. Don't listen to Rebekah, he'll love you."

"I'm sorry, I'm just nervous." Caroline slid her seatbelt around her stomach as the plane's engines began to whirl. "I've never been on a plane before, or left Virginia! I'm surprised my father even let me out for the weekend, but your mother was so wonderful with him!"

Klaus turned to Esther, who had taken the seat next to her son and thanked her. "Yes, you were, I appreciate it."

Before they left, his mother had spoken to Bill Forbes about the wedding and Caroline's invitation. He had been extremely adamant in saying no at first, but Esther had a way with words and a way with people, and soon he agreed, but only after learning that they would be in separate hotel rooms and that Esther was accompanying them at all times. Klaus didn't care about that, he was just glad that Caroline would be with him. After all, he reckoned that he would need her after this weekend was over depending on whether he bumped into Mikael or not at the reception. Esther had promised to go with Elijah and Katherine after the meal but Klaus had decided to at least walk his mother to the venue before returning to the hotel.

"Just focus on seeing your brother, dear." Esther replied with smiling eyes. "I know I am."

Klaus nodded. "I'm looking forward to it as well."

"So, Caroline, tell me," Rebekah's cheerful voice echoed across the aisle. "Where did you and Nik meet?"

He groaned inwardly. _T__his is going to be a long flight, _Klaus thought; and plugged in his earphones before closing his eyes.

He drifted off in no time.

* * *

"Here are your room keys, madam. Numbers 14, 15 and 16 are your rooms, and Mason will take you to them now." The hotel receptionist handed Esther three keys on wooden cards and gestured to a nearby staff member to escort the four of them to their rooms. Klaus, his mother, sister and Caroline followed Mason around the hotel, all four of them admiring the décor. The colour scheme was pale lilacs and silvers with midnight blue stars across a ceiling of painted clouds and what looked like ancient Greek gods. It was accompanied with small but lavish waterfalls and exotic plants dashed around the area.

"How much did this cost?" Klaus mumbled.

Esther shot him a warning look. "Mikael was kind enough to pay for us to stay here so don't think about kicking up a fuss just for the sake of it."

"Nik will always find something to complain about." Rebekah winked and nudged Caroline who was walking beside her. "Are you sure you want to put up with him?"

With a knowing look, and a sweet smile, Caroline looked over and Klaus and mouthed, "Definitely."

He smiled back just as warmly.

"Rooms number 14 and 15 are here, and room number 16 is just around the corner." Their bellboy, Mason, gestured to the group and waited. "Who will be staying in which?"

"I think Caroline and I should take number 16, just so Nik doesn't get too tempted to sneak into-"

"We get the picture, dear." Esther interrupted her daughter's wicked comment but a flicker of a smile crossed her expression. "I'll take room 14, and Klaus can take 15 then." His mother raised an eyebrow at the three teenagers. "Is that all settled?"

They agreed and began to unpack, Caroline and Rebekah disappearing down the corridor, leaving Esther and Klaus next door to each other.

As Esther came into his room to hang up his suit, she smiled at her son's sour expression. "I just think Mr Forbes would appreciate the distance, that's all. It isn't that I don't trust you. I trust you completely, Klaus, but I also respect Caroline's father too much to press his boundaries, and you should too. I understand that you and Caroline are close, but you must be patient as well."

"I do respect their wishes." Klaus frowned at the suggestion. "Do I give the impression that I don't?"

His mother shook her head. "Of course not. But I know you well, dear. You're rather impulsive and emotions consume you. It isn't a bad thing but it's definitely a Mikaelsen trait; the urge to get caught in the moment and you've got it the worst out of all of us." Esther turned around to face him, and her smile was loving as she fondly brushed a curl from his forehead. "Though I have noticed the changes in you recently, and if it's because of Caroline then I love her already. If you love her as well then you'll do well to remember that and respect and tame your impulses."

Klaus understood what his mother was trying to say. She was worried that despite the changes, he still had to tread carefully and take it slowly. "I know." He replied earnestly. "But you have to believe that it's…different, with Caroline and me. We've talked about…those things before and we don't want to rush into anything. We're enjoying what we have at the moment and I'm happy with us. Very happy."

"I can tell." With a laugh, Esther tousled his hair once more before adding, "I'm happy for you too, Klaus."

"Well then, I wish Rebekah could be too."

"Oh, your sister is happy for you!" His mother laughed again and Klaus could've sworn she rolled her eyes at him. "You have to remember that you're family, and all your sister wants for you is happiness but family are always going to be hostile towards others as first because you don't want anyone to replace you." She noticed her son staring. "Don't look at me like that, Klaus, you'd act just the same if Rebekah found someone. I know you would."

Thoughts of Stefan and his sister popped into his head and Klaus frowned. "She might have found someone already."

Esther gave him a knowing look. "See? Was that not a hint of bitterness I sensed just then?"

"Maybe." Klaus admitted.

"It's perfectly normal to be hostile, so give it a little time. That's all anyone needs; time."

"Thank you. I seem to be saying that rather a lot lately."

"Perhaps that means you're learning to seek help from others after all." Esther looked distant, but Klaus noticed a hint of gratitude in her small smile. "It's taken you a while to break those walls of yours, sweetheart, but I don't think you're as alone as you think you are. You'll always have me, and Elijah and Rebekah, and now…Caroline."

All of a sudden, Klaus felt peaceful. He'd began to enjoy the feeling of calmness and stillness; those moments when there was no noise or words, simply an exchange of looks or smiles. Those moments were peace and Klaus relaxed into them as if the sun was shining down on a summer's evening. These changes within him were no longer terrifying but rather encouraging.

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to realise that." He replied softly, wanting Esther to understand the truth behind it. "I haven't been the best son, I haven't even been a good son, not for a long while, but you put up with so much that you shouldn't have done and I'll make it up to you one day. I'll make up for all the fights you took my side on, and every teacher you begged another chance for. I don't know why you stood by me for so long but I want you to know how grateful I am. Thank you."

Klaus felt his voice begin to waver so he smiled and was about to continue unpacking when Esther pulled him into a hug and whispered, "I'll always stand by you. Even when you act like a selfish child."

He laughed into her shoulder. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

With a shrug, Esther pulled back and smiled humouressly. "Now let's finish unpacking and head to dinner before we end up on Oprah!" She added, "Oh, and please try not to pick a fight with your brother tonight. We only have this one night and tomorrow morning with him, don't do anything Klaus-like for once. Please, for me?"

* * *

"So, leaving your family and moving to Bulgaria are we, dear brother?"

"Klaus!"

"Nik!"

Ignoring his mother and sister's warnings, Klaus smiled instead and lifted up a hand in surrender. "I was only teasing."

A few minutes ago, Esther had been reunited with her children and already they were bickering like family. Elijah looked the same, Klaus noticed. He still dressed sharply, wearing a navy Italian suit with neatly combed hair and a straight-laced expression. Although he had in fact smiled when he saw his siblings and when Rebekah had flung her arms around her brother when they entered the restaurant, Elijah returned it warmly. Esther also greeted her oldest son with a hug but Klaus only shook hands with the other man; both wary and unsure of their place in each other's lives.

His brother's girlfriend, Katherine, sat next to Elijah's side. She looked exactly like Elijah's perfect fit with an equally sharp dress sense in the form of a full length black dress that cut across her shoulders and dipped into a low backline. She wore little makeup, with sharp cheekbones and a lovely smile as she greeted her partner's family with kind words. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am." Katherine addressed Esther with a flattering amount of pride. "I've been so eager to meet you after all this time."

Klaus couldn't help but like her immediately.

They had all sat around one large round table, with Caroline on his right hand side and Esther on his left. Rebekah sat down next to Esther before Elijah and Katherine took their place afterwards. The tension was by no means uncomfortable, but there was tension between Klaus and Elijah already.

After Klaus' words, Elijah simply looked at with narrowed eyes. "I'm moving because Katerina has found the work she always dreamed off and I too have been offered a job nearby." Elijah frowned and next to him, Katherine reached for his hand and the two shared a smile before his older brother frowned across the table at him. "Please do not insinuate that I am leaving my family behind for my own gain, Niklaus."

"He understands, my dear." Esther broke in smoothly. She shot Klaus a warning look and smiled at her other son. "We're all very proud of you. When are you graduating?"

"Two weeks from now. This clever woman already graduated a month before me as her job starts next week." Elijah smiled at Katherine, whose cheeks flushed in pride. "I'm deeply regretting falling in love with someone smarter than I. But I could not bear to be apart from her even if it kills my pride."

"Tell me, how does a smart, beautiful woman such as you, fall in love with a robot?" Rebekah asked the brunette, and took a sip of water as she joined in the playful attack on Elijah.

"I do not know." Katherine grinned when Elijah looked offended. "But I know that he is _my_ robot."

Klaus resisted the urge to act queasy. The sight of his older brother showing affection was almost unbelievable but there he was, showering Katherine with looks of adoration and pride. His gaze caught Caroline's for a moment and the feeling faded into something else and he relaxed again. She looked just as beautiful, if not more so, than Elijah's girlfriend; dressed in a light blue long-sleeved shirt and floor-length flowing black skirt with a long chain necklace and matching earrings. Caroline looked as if she had just stepped out of a 1930s magazine with class, elegance and sophistication. Klaus couldn't help but stare at the blonde for a few more minutes whilst she blushed and whispered, "Stop staring at me, Mikaelsen."

"I don't think that's possible, little bookworm." He flirted back.

About to reach for her hand, Klaus quickly remembered there were others around the table and looked away, but it was far too late. He noticed Rebekah sporting a wide smirk and Elijah simply stared openly at the pair with little shame. Katherine noticed and reached out to flick his chest with a smooth flick of her wrist. Elijah regained his usual sense of containment and looked away. In fact, the entire table seemed to be hiding grins or avoiding eye contact with little success.

After a moment's pause, Elijah nodded at his younger brother. "How on earth did you manage to win over this one, Niklaus?"

Klaus was surprised to see a hint of warmth in his words. "I'm not sure myself." He replied honestly. "She must have seen something in me." Quietly, Caroline gave a polite laugh but Klaus knew that the blonde's cheeks flushed. He flashed a smile at her, suddenly feeling perfectly contempt to show emotion, to which she returned happily.

"You're a bloody angel, Caroline." Rebekah scoffed, but the notion was said jokingly.

Only I get to call her that, little sister."

"Oh, really?"

Klaus winked at Rebekah who rolled her eyes in return. "Indeed."

A few sighs and chuckles spread around the table.

"You never told me how lovely your family are, Elijah." Katherine broke out with a beautiful smile. She looked around at Caroline and the Mikaelsens before adding, "I would've loved to meet you all sooner had Elijah not have wanted to keep me all to himself."

Klaus threw a knowing look at his older brother and teased, "I didn't know you were such a gentleman, dear brother." He smiled at Katherine's sense of humour, beginning to see just why Elijah was so smitten with her. She was indeed feisty, funny and extremely confident in herself without feeling the need to show it off. Plus, anyone who teased his siblings earned a respectable place in Klaus' book.

His mouth now set in a firm line, Elijah almost broke his cool long enough to play with his tie for a few moments. "I hardly doubt my manners are suitable discussion topics for what could be our last family time together for a while." The corner of his lips flickered into a warm smile. "Don't you agree, Niklaus?"

Klaus couldn't help but fire back; "Why are you making it the last family meal, then?"

At that biting comment, Rebekah nudged her younger brother with her fork, jabbing into his side. "Shut up, Nik!"

"Did you just stab me with a _fork_?!"

Rebekah rolled her eyes, as if his question was completely ridiculous. "Let it go!"

"Before you two begin to fight, I wish to ask you something." Elijah quickly interrupted his brother and sister's bickering. Whilst his tone was steady, his expression was the poster boy of introducing bad news; an unreadable book with a cool gaze and thin-set mouth. "What are your plans for after graduation, Niklaus? All this talk about my own and I've yet to ask you about your plans." Elijah's lips pulled into a small smile. "Forgive me; it would seem as if I have forgotten my manners after all."

Suddenly all eyes were on him, and Klaus felt uncomfortable under their eager looks. He realised that even Caroline was awaiting his reply as the blonde had turned in her chair to look at him, her head tilted, and lips parted. He began to fidget and toy with the rim of his glass, twirling his fingertips round and round the edge for as long as possible.

"Well, I…"

It wasn't the fact that Klaus had not made plans, but he wasn't certain if he wished to share them just yet. _Perhaps with Caroline_, he thought. _But not with anyone else. _Klaus considered his response for a few more seconds. His brother was leaning towards him, as was everyone else, but Klaus didn't let it get to him. He would talk when he was ready. Only then. The nagging feeling to push others away was creeping in again, and he worried that after all the apparent changes, he was still going to revert to old habits. After all, why should he have to tell anyone about anything-?

"Niklaus?"

Hearing Elijah say his name, Klaus broke away from his thoughts and looked up. His elder brother looked vaguely confused but Katherine's expression was visibly worried, as were Esther and Caroline's look. Rebekah was simply playing with her hair in an oblivious state of boredom.

He felt even more self-conscious now but instead, straightened up in his chair and replied smoothly, "I've actually been thinking about taking an Art degree abroad. A university in Prague has a wonderful course scheme and so does the University of Art in London. I never realised how much travelling appeals to me, but the opportunity to study elsewhere would boost up my inspiration levels. Well, that's what I'm hoping for. All I need to do is focus on studying for finals, and who knows? In a few months' time I could be painting halfway across the world."

Silence echoed around the room, save for a few other couples and families gathered in the restaurant.

_What did I say wrong?_ Klaus wondered in confusion. He thought his siblings and friends wanted to know what his plans were, but now they just looked…shocked. Perhaps they hated his ideas. I_ shouldn't have said anything; I was definitely right after all._

Elijah was the first to speak, and his voice was unusually quiet. "That's...wonderful, Niklaus." A smile broke out across his elder brother's face, and Klaus felt his stomach untwist from its knots as Elijah beamed. "Who would've thought you'd grow up to be a magnificent painter? And a dreamer as well? You've managed to surprise me, but I could not be happier for you, brother." He inclined his head at Klaus. "I wish you the best with your plans, and you must write or call to say wherever you decide to go. You'll have to visit me in Bulgaria too!" Elijah's words brought a smile to his face as he added, "Or I can fly to you, whichever is easier."

"I'd like that." Klaus returned the gesture and smiling as he did, raised his glass in a toast. "Good luck with your plans as well, Elijah."

Now it was his sister's turn to exclaim, "Oh, Nik! I saw you looking at that university in Prague weeks ago!" She cried in good spirit. "You're such a beautiful painter, any place would be lucky to have you." Her eyes began to well with a few tears but she brushed them away and Klaus chose to ignore them, not wishing to upset his younger sister anymore.

"Thank you, Bekah." He replied graciously. "I promise I'll visit as often as I can, but you have to remember that I haven't even sent off my applications yet." His family's response had blown Klaus away but he couldn't help but smile at them in return. "I appreciate all your support. Everyone-"

Klaus broke off the moment he saw Caroline's face. Not moments ago, his girlfriend had been joining in with his family's smiles and laughter, but now her expression was far from happy with sad eyes and a distant look. She's had that look in her eyes for a while now. Whenever they spoke about the future or Klaus brought up their relationship, Caroline seemed to pull away. He knew she was still dipping her toes into the water, having never properly dated someone before but Klaus somehow knew there was more to it than that.

And here it was again; that sad, lonely look.

Klaus recognised it, the loneliness, that fear of being surrounded by others yet equally on your own, because he'd seen it before in his own gaze. But he was puzzled to see it in Caroline's; the woman who everyone adored and was blossomed from love and family. Her father, whilst protective, doted on her and Klaus had never known her to be anything other than at peace with herself and the world. She'd been getting on well with his family already and had been happy until now.

So what had changed?

"Caroline?" He questioned softly, careful to lean in closer as not to draw attention from the others.

She didn't move an inch and Klaus wondered if the blonde had even heard him so he reached forwards and lightly rested his hand on her forearm. "Caroline?" He repeated gently.

This time, she flinched away, the movement sudden and startling as if she'd been woken from a dazed slumber. When tears began to brim in the blonde's eyes, Klaus began to feel worried about her and was about to ask if she needed a moment when Caroline pushed her chair back and quickly fled from the restaurant, leaving Klaus and his family to stare after her. All of them were surprised but none other than Klaus. He watched her leave with a feeling of regret beginning to swarm his emotions but made no effort to go after her. He had a feeling that Caroline wanted to be left alone. He wasn't sure why, but he also didn't want to intrude.

After a few minutes of tense silence, Rebekah coughed pointedly and shrugged when Klaus shot a stabbing glare at her. "What?" After looking at her brother for a few moments, Rebekah's face softened. "She probably just needed some air, that's all. I wouldn't worry too much, Nik."

Esther nodded, as if agreeing, and looked at her younger son with compassion.

"I agree with Rebekah," It was now, seemingly, Elijah's turn to chime in. "Not everyone embraces the future with such enthusiasm as you or I, Niklaus, perhaps Caroline is scared of the possibilities and your plans brought up those fears. Like our sister said, I'd put your worries to rest until you've spoken with her." Katherine leaned across and brushed a kiss on Elijah's cheek and just at that moment, a few waiters began to place their meals onto the table. Elijah smiled at his girlfriend, then at his younger brother with warmth. "Try not to worry, dear brother but for now, let us eat."

* * *

An hour later and Caroline still hadn't returned to the table. Rebekah had earlier offered to see if she could find the other girl and had come back to inform the others that Caroline had gone back to the hotel to rest. This hadn't clarified anything for Klaus however.

"That's all she told you?"

His younger sister nodded and Klaus could easily see the worry in her eyes. "Something's up though, Nik. I think the two of you need to talk later."

A wave of fear hit him, hard. He wasn't sure what was going on and that terrified him beyond explanation. The need for control was bubbling up inside him so Klaus done his best to close his eyes for a few moments and let go of everything; the worries and the doubts, and even the good parts too, just so he could have a moment of peace. Otherwise, he was going to explode, and that – he had learnt from previous experiences – never helped anyone, especially not him. Once he had regained some of his wits, and at least a small part of his mind back, Klaus reengaged with the conversation and allowed his family to distract him until the end of dinner.

At that point, everyone began to head for the reception. Klaus decided to accompany Elijah, Katherine and his mother to the venue but would say goodbye once they arrived. He was surprised when Rebekah shook her head and headed back to the hotel to find Caroline. Like his little sister, Klaus was also planning on avoiding Mikael as well. _I don't need anything else to get worked up about. _He thought carefully, as the tall building came into sight. _One problem at a time. _

Esther smiled at her younger son when they got to the doors. "Are you sure I can't change your mind?"

"No, but have a good evening." Klaus managed a small smile and hugged Esther before turning to his brother.

Elijah looked at him with pride. "It's been wonderful to see you, Niklaus, it really has. And I do hope that you'll come over and visit as soon as you can. Katherine and I would love to have you stay, wouldn't we?" His lovely girlfriend smiled happily and Elijah's smile grew even wider as he offered a hand to Klaus. "I wish you all the best in your exams, and update me when you know any news. I'll be waiting to hear from you."

Klaus shook his brother's hand and returned the smile with ease. "Thank you, Elijah. It's been…great, catching up with you. I know," Klaus didn't plan on bringing anything up but when Katherine turned to hug Esther and they were alone, he couldn't help but add something else. "I know I was angry at you for a long time, and I think part of that is because I felt you abandoned us; Rebekah and I, though I understand now it was just your way of…dealing, with everything. I'm sorry I didn't realise that sooner, but I'd love to come and stay with you in Bulgaria."

The look of surprise on Elijah's face almost made Klaus burst out laughing. He'd never seen his brother look startled before now so he took pleasure in the moment, delighted in catching his brother off guard for a change. "Cat got your tongue, dear brother?" He winked, and Elijah seemed to snap back into focus.

"It would seem as though I have been a hypocrite all these years." Elijah began sadly. "I claim to value family dearly yet the impression I gave you was clearly wrong. I'm sorry, Klaus. I'm sorry if you feel I left you…and mother, and Rebekah. That was never my intention. I…care about my education and my work but I would give it away in a heartbeat if it meant keeping my family close. I didn't realise how you felt about me, but I do now, and I promise you I will always have your back from here on out. I'm truly sorry, Klaus." His brother smiled, and although it was a small gesture, Klaus felt touched.

"I didn't mean to guilt-trip you." He replied quietly. There was a moment's pause and he looked at Elijah, almost for the first time. Both had spent different ways trying to ignore the past and hadn't realised how they'd affected each other. Both had wanted each other's love though had gotten lost in their own anger and pride. "I'm sorry too, Elijah." He said lamely. The words themselves said little, but Klaus knew that Elijah noticed what he was really saying; "Let's start again."

They shook hands again, but this time, Elijah pulled his younger brother into a hug. Klaus was surprised as he wasn't one for embracing, but even so, this one, he returned willingly. The brothers broke apart after a few moments, said goodbye for the second time, and left. As Elijah, Katherine and his mother walked into the venue; Klaus watched them disappear before leaning his back against the nearest wall.

He wasn't sure what his next move was going to be.

Did he go find Caroline?

Or leave her for a little while?

_Perhaps the best thing to do is…nothing,_ Klaus pondered, enjoying the breeze whipping around his ankles and exposed neck. It sounded cowardly but Klaus thought it over for a while in his mind, deciding it was indeed the best option. It was clear that Caroline was miserable about something – something he couldn't figure out – and he didn't want to force her to open up so what else _could_ he do?

Finally making his mind up to go for a walk and clear his mind, Klaus pushed his body away from the wall and when he turned around…

…he noticed Caroline standing a few feet away, still dressed in her evening wear.

"Klaus," She began so softly, he had to strain to hear her words. The sound of her quivering voice was achingly, and unbearably sad. "There's something I have to tell you."

As soon as the blonde spoke, Klaus felt something inside him, some form of clockwork mechanism that ticked and poked at the clogs and wires streaming his thoughts together, stop working. Everything inside his mind screamed into the silence, begging to hear the revelation that he somehow knew Caroline was going to give.

Everything was about to change.

* * *

**Another cliff-hanger…please don't kill me!**

**I'll have another chapter up soon but oh- reviews prompt me to write…hint hint ;)**


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